Lessons and Legacy -- Time Goes On
by Matilda384
Summary: This could be used as a sequel to "Redeem, Restore". Reading that first will make this a bit more clear. But this story is about Scorpius's life at Hogwarts, his feelings, his adventures, and his family as he sets out from his sheltered homelife and enters a new world of magic.
1. Year 1: Sorting Day

**Thank you for giving this a read! This story is a sequel to "Redeem, Restore" - it picks up where that one left off, and I encourage you to read it a little to understand some of the background issues circulating this new one. I hope it was worth the wait, and if you don't like this chapter, please don't be disappointed! There is so much more to come, and the plot immediately soars in the very next chapter! :)**

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Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy spread his tiny hands against the glass window of the Hogwarts Express as he looked in awe at the enormous castle off in the distance. It was even bigger and better than he'd imagined. Albus Potter nudged him as the train came to a halt, hauling his friend's trunk down from above. "Come on! We've got to get off the train fast because the next thing is the Sorting!" he encouraged. Scorpius turned to him. "The Sorting? I thought that comes before dinner." he said.

"It does! We've been sitting on the train for hours now, and I'm starved!"

"Really? It felt like only a few minutes."

"You were too busy looking out the window to keep track of the time. Now hurry, let's go!"

The two boys caught up with Rose Weasley, James Potter, and the Scamander twins as they exited the Hogwarts express. "Daddy says I'm going to be in Gryffindor, just like he and Mummy both were!" Rose proudly announced, tilting her chin up a bit. James snorted. "Great, it looks like I'll have my cousin _and_ my younger brother in the same House as me…" Albus looked up at him, a little confusion clouding his face. "But how do you know I'll be in Gryffindor?" James shrugged. Albus glanced over at Scorpius, who was having quite a time trying to carry a trunk that was monumental compared to his size. "What House will you be in?" he asked the struggling boy. "My daddy was in Slytherin—everyone in his entire family was. In fact, he was the first ever to marry outside of Slytherin. My mummy was a Hufflepuff. I don't know what I want to be. They said they'll love me no matter where I am placed, but Grandfather told me that he would be extremely proud if I followed family tradition." Scorpius replied, looking down a bit to hide his anxiety. Albus patted his back. "You'll probably end up in something like Ravenclaw if you're so mixed. But I personally hope you're in Gryffindor with us." he said, which did not appease Scorpius's nerves at all.

The children rode in carriages for the rest of the journey to castle. Upon entering, Scorpius had to stop and put his trunk down just so he could take in his surroundings properly. The candlelight made everything look so warm and comfortable; the long tables appeared capable of holding tremendous amounts of food. "First-years, this way!" a giant man with a scruffy beard shouted. Albus pointed. "Look, Rosie! That's Hagrid! That's who Dad said we're meeting for tea tomorrow!" he shouted. Scorpius shrunk back a bit—suddenly everything looked so big and frightening. Other people knew each other, other people knew the adults sitting at the big table in the front of the Hall. But he didn't know a single soul. Scorpius Malfoy was scared.

The first-years sat down at a table, immediately silencing when Headmistress McGonagal raised her hands for attention. "When I call your name, you will proceed to this stool and sit. I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you then are Sorted by it into the House that fits your personality, interests, and character best." she said. The children began shaking with fear and excitement. James nudged his younger brother as he took a seat at the Gryffindor table with his other older friends. "Scamandor, Lorcan!" McGonagal called. The young blonde twin sat down, squeezing his eyes closed as the Hat was placed upon him. "Ravenclaw!" a magical voice shouted aloud. His twin was Sorted into the same House. "Weasely, Rose!"

Rose's knees knocked as she sat on the stool. She even clasped her hands together in front of her as if in prayer. "Gryffindor!" the Hat yelled. A swirl of applause welcomed her to the red-and-gold table. Scorpius gulped. "Potter, Albus!" Albus smiled at Scorpius as he stood up. "Wish me luck," he grinned with a wink. It took a few moments longer than everyone else who had already been Sorted—apparently Albus was quite the mix of personalities. "Gryffindor!" the Hat declared after a stunning silence fell. Albus grinned, giving a thumbs-up to Scorpius. "Malfoy, Scorpius!" McGonagal called, smiling gently at the tiny boy that had a bit of trouble getting onto the wooden stool. A few kids sniggered. He felt the rough fabric fall upon his head…he waited…and waited…and waited….an eternity seemed to pass before he heard the Hat softly say, "You want Slytherin to please your family," It wasn't a question—it was a statement. As if the thing had read his mind. Scorpius gasped in shock; he didn't know what to say. "Yet I get many readings from you." the Hat went on. "You're a very brave young boy that's seen a lot, but has a big heart. You're caring like a Hufflepuff, yet imaginative like a Ravenclaw. But your bloodline follows Slytherin. You've got it in you, but I don't know what your best fit is…." Scorpius felt tears starting to burn in his eyes as he nervously awaited his decision, so he closed them to not look weak. "You've…been a tradition-breaker before, yes? Your father was first to marry out of Slytherin. What's wrong with breaking the rules again?" the Hat whispered. Scorpius felt McGonagal give him a little reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. What did she know? The Hat let out a small chuckle. "You're a real family-man, young Scorpius. I can tell you love them more than anything, and you want them to all be safe and protected. Is it because of your mother's condition? Knowing that you're so connected to your family tradition, I can tell that you need to follow the bloodline—they were all focused on theirs too: Malfoy, Black, Lestrange, Tonks; all deserving of the same House. SLYTHERIN!"

Scorpius was completely numb as he slipped off the stool. He'd never had anything read him like that; know so much about him and then judge him without hesitation. Relief washed over him when a Prefect guided him over to the green-and-silver table, where a bunch of kids applauded his arrival. He'd made it. He'd settled tradition. It was in his blood—he couldn't wait to write a letter home to tell them about his placement. After being seated, he glanced over at Albus. To his surprise, Albus gave him a sad smile. What was wrong? Couldn't they still be friends even though they were in different Houses? Scorpius didn't understand. Within a few more Sortings, an entire feast sprang up onto the tables. Everyone dug in as if famished for days. Everyone was happy, everyone was smiling. The Houses enjoyed meeting their new members and wasted no time in getting them acquainted to the staff and the Great Hall in general.

Once dinner was finished, the Prefects led everyone out to the commonrooms. As he filed out, Scorpius caught the sleeve of Albus. The dark-haired boy gave that same sad smile. "Congratulations on making Slytherin, Scorpius." he said. The small blonde shook his head. "Why are you sad for me? I thought Houses didn't really mean anything—that's what my daddy says!" he cried over the joyous noise.

"You don't understand, Scorpius."

"I do! I do! I thought we could still be friends even though—"

"You haven't been out in the real world. You don't know that Gryffindor and Slytherin have an age-old rivalry. We'll always be competing against each other. I just thought…well…never mind."

"What did you think?"

"I thought maybe you'd be in Gryffindor because of everything you've been through so far in your life!"

Scorpius stopped walking, staring at Albus as if he'd just said something in a different language. Albus sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so…like that. What I should've said is that when I met you on the train, I just thought you were really brave and good-natured. I guess I sort of took over the Hat's job for myself and automatically set myself in thinking that all of my friends would be in the same House as me." he explained. Scorpius looked down at his shoes. "So…we can't be friends anymore?" he asked. "And I can't be friends with James or Rsoe either?" Albus shook his head, patting the boy on the shoulder. "No, you can still be friends with us. We'll still like you. It just may be hard at Quidditch matches and in class with House points. But we can still all be friends just as long as we don't get all caught up in that." he assured. Scorpius brightened. "I'll never get caught up in it!" he promised. Albus laughed and nudged his shoulder. "I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow morning, alright?" he said. Scorpius nodded. He was glad to have a friend that knew so much about Hogwarts already, because he himself sure didn't. Things didn't really make sense, but it all seemed super organized. But what was a Quidditch? How did one get House points? Where did rivalries come from? Scorpius's parents prepared him for life at school, but he felt young and scared.

He wondered if he _was_ ready for this new 'real world'.


	2. Year 1: First Night

**Hey! Sorry this chapter's a little on the shorter side - I'm just trying to feel things out a bit and find a focus for this story to jump off of. I still like it though, and more will be coming. Also, be prepared for the next chapter having many more characters. I know so far this seems to be a little slow and possibly narrow, but I had to add this chapter as a filler in order to sequence the next part. It's all about timing and flow! Don't give up on me just yet. Enjoy! :)**

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Scorpius pulled his pajamas out of his trunk, nervously glancing around at all the other boys he was rooming with. They were talking loudly, laughing, undressing as if there was nothing shameful about it. This little blonde, however, was not so comfortable. He didn't have any siblings—no playdates, nothing. Whenever he'd change at home he'd have all the privacy he could want. But here it was _different._ Everything was _different_. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Devising a plan quick, Scorpius crawled into his fourposter and drew all the curtains. He hurriedly took his shirt off, accidentally ripping one of the buttons off at the bottom, and removed his pants as well. As quickly as possible, he clothed himself in his pajamas. He tossed his robes into the trunk. One of the boys caught him and chuckled, pointing at him as he whispered to another darker Slytherin boy. Scorpius turned bright red. He slipped back into his bed and drew the curtains again in pure embarrassment at the situation as a whole.

Scorpius settled back against his pillows. He wasn't sleepy yet, but the other boys made him uncomfortable, mainly because they just pretended he was invisible. He couldn't understand—why would they be so against him when they'd never even talked to him? Letting out a sigh, Scorpius lowered his eyes. Suddenly, he saw it. He forgot that he'd set a quill and roll of parchment out on his bed to write a letter home. What good planning! He reached out, picking up his quill and positioned it against the parchment. He knew what he wanted to say, but he didn't know how to say it. He didn't want to sound ungrateful or unhappy. Yet…was he?

_Dear Mummy and Daddy,_

_The train ride was a lot of fun! I made new friends. Albus Potter, Rose Weasley, Lysander and Lorcan Scamander, and James Potter let me sit with them, and we even stuck together during the sorting. Lorcan and Lysander (they're twins) got put in Ravenclaw, just like their mummy, Luna Lovegood. But the other kids got in Gryffindor. I didn't get in a house with any of my friends. I'm in Slytherin. Please don't think that I'm unhappy with that outcome; I'm extremely pleased to carry on family tradition! I want to be as good as my daddy was in Slytherin. The Sorting Hat talked to me more than the other kids though. It said that I was very hard to read, and that I carried too many characteristics from each House to really be placed. It wanted to put me in Gryffindor for a moment. But because I honor my family and hold respect for tradition, it said I'd be better off where my ancestors came from._

_I really like my new friends. Albus said it would be hard for us to be close during class and on Quidditch games (Daddy, what is that?), but he said that wouldn't get in our way. Rose doesn't like me. I can tell. She said her daddy said she shouldn't be nice to me, but her mummy said it was ok. I don't think she knows what to do. The schedules for tomorrow came out early—usually we'll get them at breakfast. I have Potions tomorrow, then Divination, then Herbology. What if I'm dumb?_

_I hope maybe some of the other Slytherins will want to be my friend too. Right now they all just sort of ignore me a bit, but we've only been together for a few hours. So I'm sure it will get better. Right? I miss you guys a lot. I wish you could be here to tuck me in, Mummy. Are you still doing reading time together? I think about you two often. And I haven't even been here for a full day! Oh well. I guess that just shows how much I love you. Mummy, don't be too sad when Daddy goes to work tomorrow and you have the house to yourself—just remember that I'm thinking about you a lot! And Daddy, please just take good care of her. I love you two so much. And I miss you._

_Take good care of Scruffy for me! Tell him that I love him too._

_Love,_

_Scorpius_

The small boy read his letter over, correcting his misspellings after deciding how to actually spell the word in question. It was ready to be brought to the owlery tomorrow morning. Perfect. Scorpius picked up a ribbon to tie it up, just about to roll it neatly. But tears brimmed when he thought about his parents receiving the letter—tears brimmed when he thought about them. Just before rolling it up, he hugged the parchment close to him, rocking back and forth. "I love you two so much," he whispered. He wished it was possible to hear just hear them echo his expression back to him…just hear it one more time before going to sleep like always…. But that would never happen. Scorpius wiped his eyes. He decided that he just wouldn't be homesick. He couldn't be. He could do this—go to school and learn and be a normal boy and make friends.

Couldn't he?

The lights in the dormitory dimmed slightly, the creaking of beds sounded as the boys climbed into them. Scorpius slipped under the covers, his tiny body making only a slight bump beneath the sheets. He snuggled in close for warmth. In order to make himself feel a little better, he tried to focus on all the good memories he had stored in his mind with his family: the time his mother surprised him one morning with chocolate-chip pancakes, when his father brought him home a brand-new toy from the joke shop, that day when he sneaked out of bed and saw them both snuggled on the couch—his father stroking her hair as she laid comfortably in his arms. The happy times that made Scorpius smile. He drifted off, dreaming of Astoria Malfoy's gently fragile smile, envisioning Draco Malfoy's proud hug.


	3. Year 1: Early September

**I hope this one's a little better. Please enjoy it, and let me know if there's something you'd like to see happen in the next few chapters. I always take requests!**

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Scorpius changed very quickly the next morning before anyone else awoke. As he stuffed his pajamas back into his trunk and combed his thin blonde hair, the other boys started waking. Someone behind him started laughing. "Mummy! Mummy!" he called out towards Scorpius. The little boy turned around in confusion. Other boys were laughing as well. "_Mummy!_" the tan boy mocked. Scorpius felt himself hunch a bit. Did he talk in his sleep again? At home it never mattered—but here where everyone could hear him…

The tall tan boy walked over haughtily to Scorpius. "Look at little baby Malfoy, calling out for his mummy in the night!" he taunted. The smaller boy reddened considerably. "Keeping us awake too!" Scorpius tried to busy himself with folding and refolding his pajamas, but the other boy wouldn't go away. He saw a large hand harshly stick out in front of his pile of laundry. "Joseph Zabini." he said with a rough tone. Scorpius reached his little hand up and felt it being seized in a firm grasp. "And I don't like to be disturbed by _babies_ when I sleep." the tan boy growled. Scorpius nodded a little, noting that he wasn't asked for his name in return, presumably because _everyone_ seemed to know who he was without actually greeting him. Joseph stalked away, leaving Scorpius to blush at all the other snickering boys that were still joking quietly about his sleep-talking.

Breakfast didn't seem to go any easier. He wanted so desperately to go run over to the friends that were waving a good-morning greeting to him from the Gryffindor table, but the Slytherin prefects guided him to his green-and-silver side. Scorpius tried to stay quiet during the meal; he didn't want any more comments about his previous embarrassment. A Slytherin girl with medium-length brown hair and a round face sat beside him. "Hello," she greeted. Scorpius looked up from his plate. "Hi," he murmured, realizing his voice was a bit raspy from not being used at all that morning. "My name is Chrysanthemum Creevey. But you can call me Chrissy." she went on.

"I-I'm Scorpius Malfoy."

He liked the kind smile she gave him after hearing his introduction—it was just like the ones he'd received after Albus had introduced him on the Hogwarts Express. Suddenly someone plunked down onto the bench beside Chrissy—Joseph Zabini. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. He cries in his sleep and calls for his mummy—keeps everyone in the dormitory awake. He might start crying for you too if you get all friendly. Besides, I wouldn't expect him to be brave. His father was a coward." Zabini sneered. A shock of ice shot through Scorpius. What did _that_ mean? His father was so brave, especially when his mother was so ill all the time! Chrissy seemed to have realized something, and immediately looked down at her plate. She didn't say another word to Scorpius after that. He didn't dare open the letter from home that his owl delivered to him; he instead tucked it under his robes to read privately.

Scorpius hurried along alone to the dungeons for Potions class. He thought hard about what Zabini had said—why was his father cowardly, and what made Chrissy stop talking to him? Someone thumped him on the back, bringing him out of his trance. "Hey, Scorpius! Sleep well last night?" Albus asked happily. The blonde boy faked a smile. "Yeah, I did. Did you?" he returned. Albus laughed. "Like a rock! Are you excited for class? I hear Slughorn's a pretty good teacher. My dad knew him once."

"Mine didn't say anything about him. What if I'm dumb? What if I go into class and I realize that I can't do any of this? What if I'm…a _Squib?_"

"Hey, Scorpius, calm down! If you were a Squib, they wouldn't have offered you a letter to Hogwarts. You start showing magical skills at seven years old—you're definitely a wizard! And plus, you're not going to be dumb. Nobody here knows anything yet. We're all learning together. Right?"

"I suppose,"

"Everything alright? You seem a little down today."

"Just nervous."

The two walked into class together. Professor Slughorn was a great big man, but he laughed often and told all of his first-years not to be scared of his class. It eased Scorpius's nerves a little, until he heard they'd be assigned partners for experiments. Joseph Zabini was snickering off in the corner. "When I call off your name, please rise and sit together at a table." the professor instructed. "Potter, Corner; Creevey, Smith; Zabini, Finch-Fletchey; Lorcan Scamander, Goyle; Lysander Scamandor, Jordan; Malfoy, Weasley…." The list went on and on. But Scorpius felt a little better knowing that his Gryffindor friend would be closer to him. He was praying that Zabini would stay away.

Scorpius seated himself beside Rose, who seemed to be looking anywhere but at him. Slughorn finished assignments. "Looking good, class! Today all I would like for you to do is talk with your new partners, and read chapter four of your textbooks together. We won't be starting at the beginning, because I suppose you all should familiarize yourself with ingredients first. Now, now, class! Get going!" he chortled. Rose instantly snapped open her book and glued her eyes to the page. Scorpius tried to follow suit, but the other kids were all talking together. "Hey, Rose?" he asked quietly. She glanced up. "What?"

"…Do you understand the paragraph about bezoars?"

"Of course," She straightened slightly, preparing to spill everything she knew. "Bezoars are mainly used for treating an individual that's been poisoned—it's the ultimate antidote for a bad reaction to a potion or unknown magical substance."

"T-Thanks…er…everyone else seems to be talking about each other, so do you—"

"Then not everyone will get a one-hundred percent on the first test."

"…Do you just not want to talk because it's me?"

Rose looked up abruptly from her book. "Not at all! What makes you think that?"

"People…treat me different. I don't know. Maybe it's just in my head. But even your daddy said that you shouldn't be friends with me."

"I'm still going to be friends with you. I just don't know how this seating arrangement is going to work because I _will_ still beat you at every test."

Scorpius wasn't sure what to say to that. He was glad to hear that she was going to be his friend, but that last part confused him a bit. She rolled her eyes and sighed impatiently. "Your dad and my mum always competed for top grades in every class when they were in school. It's just tradition." Scorpius felt himself smiling. "Oh," he murmured. "I see now," He looked back down at his book, determined to study as hard as Rose so that he could make his daddy proud.

The rest of the day's classes went similar to Potions—the teachers were very understanding and kind to the first-years who seemed afraid of every little assignment and quill handed to them. Scorpius was so pleased with the day, he almost forgot about Zabini's rudeness from the morning. Almost. Until dinner. Everyone at the Slytherin table was eating normally, getting to know each other, talking casually. Then Zabini started in again. "Sure hope I can get some sleep tonight, right boys? Hey Malfoy, you think you can stay quiet for us? It was pretty rough last night—having to stay up for so long because of you." he taunted. A few Slytherin girls asked this new dreamy boy why he couldn't sleep around Scorpius, which he completely relished in, and answered, "Oh, it's terrible! He _cries_ in the night. And what's worse: he calls for his mummy. As if she can come save him from his bad dreams! 'Help me, Mummy! Save me! I'm _scaaaaaared!_'" Scorpius's face burned. That wasn't what happened. Zabini had exaggerated it beyond belief. He'd only called out for his mother in his sleep—he never wailed or cried like that. Never even mentioned that he was scared. "Stop it," he demanded, except his voice broke. Everyone burst into laughter. He couldn't look at anyone. He couldn't force another bite into his mouth. Scorpius stood up and quickly swept away from the table, arms wrapped protectively around himself.

As he left the Great Hall, he heard Albus calling to him from the Gryffindor table. Rose was asking about him as well. Why were the Slytherins doing this to him? He was one of them—there was no rivalry to blame it on. They didn't even know him. They didn't know that he was calling for his mother in his sleep because he was having a nightmare about her…about the miscarriage…. Suddenly, he felt a pair of strong hands grip his shoulders, stopping him and turning him around on the spot. But instead of it being Zabini as he'd feared, he looked into the face of third-year James Potter. "Are you alright?" the older boy asked. Scorpius turned his eyes to the ground. "No…" he whimpered, hating himself for sounding so weak. And it was only the first day too…

"What's the matter? You can tell me."

"I just…I had a bad dream—er, I mean a _nightmare_ last night and I think some of the other boys heard."

"I'm sorry. What did you dream about?"

"…Nothing. It was just stupid. My mummy—er, _mother_ is very ill and I guess I was just worrying about her before I fell asleep."

"Are they teasing you about it?"

Scorpius thought about his answer for a long time. If he answered yes, then Zabini and the others would get in trouble; and making such waves on the first day with a kid who already didn't like him for some reason did not seem like a smart idea. However, if he answered no, then he would be spared further humiliation of being a 'tattletale' and perhaps Zabini would get bored with the jokes….But shouldn't he be honest towards a friend? "No, they were just asking me about it. Nothing too hurtful. I'm fine, really." Scorpius answered. He didn't even know what came out of his mouth. James studied him for a moment. "Well…alright. But if someone's bothering you at all, just let me know. I'll rough 'em up for you." he said, which was exactly what Scorpius feared.

Later that night, Scorpius did the same scramble for changing into his pajamas so no one would see. But the jokes didn't seem to get old—in fact, they even got worse. Zabini threw insult after insult towards the boy; mocking his sleep-talk, joking about his mother, discrediting his father…. Finally Scorpius had had enough. He threw his robes into the trunk and whirled around to Zabini. "Stop talking about my family like that!" he shouted. Some of the other boys held their hands up in surrender. But Zabini glared. He stepped closer to Scorpius until the boy was backed against the bedpost. "Do you even _know_ who my parents are?" he sneered, so softly it might as well have been a rather tender moment. "Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson-Zabini. They both knew your father well. Oh, the stories I've heard. You talk to me like that one more time…I'll have your name blasphemed around this school so fast, even the professors will kick you out. Understand me? I've got more over you than you could ever dream of standing up to." Scorpius stared at Zabini, no longer brave, but feeling very small. Winston Finnegan barked a laugh from behind him, nudging Tam Jordan who was smirking as well. Zabini reached up and smacked Scorpius across the face abruptly, earning a tiny yelp of pain. "You shut up and pretend you don't know anything. Just like your daddy." he sneered. After one more final glare, Zabini turned away and went back to his own fourposter. Scorpius rubbed his cheek, trying to prevent tears from brimming in his eyes.

He climbed into his bed, taking his quill and parchment with him. What could he say to his parents? Was he really happy here? Scorpius let a tear fall as he began writing.

_Dear Mummy and Daddy,_

_I really don't like Joseph Zabini…_


	4. Year 1: mid-November

**Thanks for the support! I hope you're all liking it so far. This chapter really speeds things up, so get ready! Feel free to leave a review saying anything - whatever you're thinking, just put it out there! I don't mind. Hearing what you like and don't like helps me to tailor the story to what my readers want, therefore making everyone happier. I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

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After the relentless teasing did not stop, Scorpius decided it would be better just not to sleep. He lay awake for several hours every night. He actually only got about three or four hours of rest a night—just enough time to not fall into dream-level sleep. Sure he was exhausted during the day, but Zabini couldn't make fun of him with new jokes if he didn't have fuel for his fire. Several weeks went by. Being Rose's partner in Potions was working out well; she was nice to him, but also challenged him to reach for deeper knowledge. It felt good—she praised him enough too. Scorpius was very tired and found it hard to focus, but his Gryffindor friends kept him from falling behind in his studies with their constant support and study-group sessions.

One day in mid-November, the first-years sat in Charms class eagerly as their first tests were being passed back with grades. Albus nervous received his exam scroll from the professor; he rolled it down a bit, peeked at the score, and instantly smiled. Rose didn't seem nearly as nervous. She simply read her score and set it aside as if it was nothing more than a to-do list. Lorcan glanced at Lysander's score. "You cheated off of me," he said. "Did not!" Lysander argued. "I got a seventy-six, you got a seventy. If I cheated off of you, then we'd have _both _done that bad." The blonde twins decided that it was indeed true—and they agreed that if it ever became necessary to cheat, it should be off of Lysander, the smarter of the pair.

Scorpius opened up his scroll after having it delivered to the professor. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. A one-hundred-one percent. That was something his daddy would be proud of. "What'd you get?" Ablus mouthed to him from across the room. Scorpius held up one finger, then made a circle with it, and signed another one. Albus winked and gave him a thumbs up. He motioned back that he'd gotten an eighty-two percent. Once the exams were distributed, the professor asked them to practice their levitating spells, but this time make their objects move through the air upon command. It wasn't too hard for little Scorpius—his Hawthorne wand traced a pattern in the air and the quill he was levitating obediently followed it. Rose gave him a simple approving nod when she happened to glance over. Nothing more. Scorpius was proud of his achievement, and hoped that the professor would be around his desk soon so she could see how well he was—

CRACK!

Something incredibly hard smacked against the back of Scorpius's head, causing his concentration to break and his head to hit the desk. A wild giggle that belonged to none other than Dania Goyle followed the horrid sound. The professor bounded over to the small blonde, feeling his head to be sure it wasn't bleeding. "Are you alright?" she asked quietly. Scorpius's mind was spinning. All he could see was little dancing lights before his eyes, all he could feel was the stinging pain resonating from the back of his head. "Who threw this textbook?" the professor demanded. Silence. "Answer me! Who threw this textbook?!" she shouted. Not a single person spoke up. Rose's hand went into the air. "I saw Joseph practicing his spells on a book when everyone else was using quills." she stated factually. Joseph Zabini reddened. "It was an accident! I was just trying to see if I could levitate something more difficult—I'd already mastered the quill technique! I was hoping to be a little more challenged…and I guess I took it too far. I'm sorry, Professor." he said, every word dripping with concealed insincerity. The woman seemed to relax a bit. "Mr. Zabini, you could've seriously injured Mr. Malfoy. Before you decide to advance in your practice, please let me know so that I can be sure it's safe!" she encouraged. She wasn't angry anymore. Zabini nodded. "I would never want to hurt Scorpius." he lied.

Scorpius managed to finally focus his eyes. He noticed that Albus was glancing between him and Zabini, a suspicious crease in his brow. _Oh no,_ Scorpius's brain raced. _If he finds out and tells James, I'll be done for!_ He swore to the professor that he was alright, hiding his pain when she gingerly touched all around his skull to feel for fractures. Class ended shortly after. Scorpius tried to leave slower than Zabini, Goyle, and Jordan—he wanted to wait for his friends. Lorcan and Lysander greeted him first, asking if he wanted to go to the hospital wing and noting that his head was bleeding a bit. Albus appeared next. He wrapped an arm around Scorpius's shoulder without saying a word. Rose flounced up shortly after. She simply asked if he was alright, then dropped the subject entirely. "What did you get on your test, Scorpius?" she asked. He felt himself smile despite his pain and exhaustion. They still had a competition going on for grades. "I got a one-hundred-one. You?" he proudly replied. It took a few seconds for Rose to respond. "I win. I got a one-hundred-two." Scorpius's jaw fell open. One point? He'd missed beating her by _one point?!_ She gave him a cheeky little grin and continued on her way. Albus chuckled. "Don't get too down about it. There's always another chance at beating her. At least you came close." he encouraged. Just as they were leaving the classroom doors, Scorpius felt someone grab his arm. "Maybe Mummy could patch that up for you," a cold voice sneered at him. Fingers brushed against the back of his head where it hurt the most. He turned sharply to see Zabini stalking away, smirking over his shoulder at him.

The five children walked along to the Great Hall for lunch together. Rose was a bit more talkative, and Scorpius figured it was because of her achievement of receiving the highest score in the Charms class on the test. He didn't mind it though—she was still being nice to him, after all. "Hey," Lorcan said to the group. "Lysander and I are going to stop by the boys' bathroom before we eat. We'll meet you in the Hall." The pair broke away. Albus, Scorpius, and Rose continued down the hall, laughing and chatting about the mistakes they'd made (and didn't make) on the exam. "Mr. Malfoy!" a ringing female voice called out. The three stopped in their tracks. Headmistress McGonagal was approaching them quickly, her robes billowing behind her with a sense of elegance and urgency. She took his tiny hand the moment she was near enough. "Please come with me this instant!" she said, completely forgetting about the other two students with him.

She rushed Scorpius down a few hallways, zigzagging around corners until they came to a big gargoyle statue. "Spearmint," she clearly annunciated. The statue moved aside for their entry. Despite his confusion, Scorpius found himself raising his eyebrows in amazement at the event. The Headmistress led him into a big office space, where several pictures seemed to be pacing about in their frames. Scorpius recognized Albus Dumbledore from his parents' descriptions of their former Headmaster when they attended Hogwarts. The old man in the picture looked down at the little blonde boy and smiled sadly. Scorpius looked around the room. He was instantly surprised to see his grandfather sitting in a big chair across from McGonagal's desk. "Grandfather?" he called excitedly. Lucius Malfoy stood up, opening his arms to his child as the boy ran into them. Scorpius was so glad to finally have a little love back in his life. Lucius was silent though, and seemed to be exchanging glances with McGonagal. "What are you doing here?" the little boy asked. Headmistress McGonagal sat down at her desk. "We need to talk to you, Mr. Malfoy." she said. Lucius wordlessly guided him to the big chair. He sat down and pulled Scorpius onto his lap.

The woman seemed to want to look anywhere but into the eyes of the small child. Scorpius didn't find this unusual—nearly everyone treated him this way for some unknown reason. "Mr. Malfoy, I assume that you've been in contact with your parents quite often this term?" she asked. Scorpius nodded. "We write to each other every day."

"Have you heard from them today?"

"…Actually no, not yet. But sometimes their letters come at lunch. Whenever Daddy—er, _Father_ has to go to work, he sometimes finds a moment to answer from the Ministry. And Mummy gets busy around the house too. But they always, _always_ answer me."

"Dear boy…you're…not going to get a letter from them today. Something very bad has happened in your family, and…neither of your parents are reachable at this time."

Scorpius's heart froze. What was wrong? Did his mother's health drop again? Had Uncle Bazel gone missing once more? He felt Lucius let out a small sob that was repressed immediately. He instead just hugged the tiny boy closer to him. "W-What happened?" Scorpius asked. Headmistress McGonagal sighed. "Your father just recently suffered a massive heart attack. He was at work when it happened, and one of his arteries constricted and blocked bloodflow. A coworker found him on the floor of his office. He's been in St. Mungo's ever since last night, and is receiving treatment for it now. But your mother is with him…and…her curse is beginning to strengthen due to her increased anxiety. They're both in fragile conditions, Mr. Malfoy. Your grandfather has come to me suggesting you go back home for a few days to…lighten the mood and bring them some company." Scorpius felt tears slipping down his cheeks. Both of his parents were so sick—his father, _oh, his father…._

Lucius squeezed the boy's hand gently and cleared his throat so as not to sound strained. "They need you," he murmured. "Daddy had the heart attack because his stress levels were through the roof. He's been worrying about you, and your mummy has been sad since you left. If you visit them, it might…just make all the difference." Scorpius felt a weight hit his stomach—his father was worried about him. His mother was missing him. Both were ill…because of _him_. He nodded, feeling completely numb beyond belief. Lucius stood up with him still in his arms. "Grandmother is bringing them both back to Malfoy Manor this afternoon. Once we get your things ready, we can go there." he said. Scorpius just nodded again. He couldn't do anything else. He heard Lucius thank Headmistress McGonagal, who replied that it was the least she could do. He was carried out of the office and towards the Slytherin dungeons—what would Zabini say if he saw _this?_ But Scorpius suddenly didn't care. He didn't care about the bullying. He didn't care about his exhaustion. He only thought about his parents,their fragile states of health…

And the guilt that was beginning to consume him alive.


	5. Year 1: Late November

**I hope you're all still enjoying this! Trust me I have so many things planned for little Scorpius's future - I can't wait to just get them all out there for you guys! There will be so much more to come. Keep reading! I love your support! :) For all you Blaise fans out there, this chapter is for you! I hope I captured his personality accurately. Let me know what you think!**

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"Daddy?"

Scorpius pushed the wood of the big door open and stepped quietly into his father's room. A thin figure stirred in bed, letting out a soft moan. Draco Malfoy turned over to face whoever was entering his bedroom. "Daddy!" Scorpius cried out, running towards the frail man in the bed. "Scorpius?" Draco whispered hoarsely. He opened his arms to allow for the tiny being to jump into the bed and be encased in a hug. Another figure stirred beside Draco in the large bed. When it sat up as well, Scorpius's eyes leaked with tears. "Mummy!" Astoria and Draco hugged their baby, exchanging confused glances with one another and wondering why he was home with them when he was supposed to be at school. Lucius knocked softly on the wood of the already opened door. "Father…" Draco murmured. The taller man walked in and seated himself on the chair beside their bed. "I gave him the news. Headmistress McGonagal allowed me to take him home for a few days to be with you. She said it would help everyone, including your healing process. He cried all the way here." he informed, looking sadly at Scorpius. The boy had curled up in his mother's weak arms and was sniffling. Draco stroked his hair. "It's alright, darling. We're fine. We just need…a bit of rest, is all." he tried to explain. But Scorpius seemed at a loss for words as he hugged them tightly and cried.

It took a good amount of time for Scorpius to relax enough to speak to his parents. "I-I was so…_worried_ about you…" he gasped out. Astoria kissed his tearstained cheek. "Darling, we were worried about you too. We've been reading your letters and noticing that you didn't sound…happy."

"I'm happy!" Scorpius lied.

"All those things about Joseph and Dania—they don't seem to be very nice to you."

"Figures," Draco muttered as he rocked his son. "Parkinson and Zabini would be the perfect pair to raise a bully."

"M-Maybe I was overreacting," Scorpius hurried out, blushing.

"Darling, if the kids are being mean to you, you don't have to pretend that everything's alright." Astoria soothed.

Scorpius seemed pensive for a moment. He so desperately wanted to get off this topic of conversation—the last thing he dreamed of doing was upsetting his already ill parents with his embarrassing inability to stand up to the tormentors. "Why are you two sleeping in the same bed like at home?" he asked to divert the attention. Draco chuckled. "We always sleep together, darling." he replied. "I know, but you two are both sick. You don't have your own rooms here?" Scorpius rephrased. He earned a smile from his father. "Mummy and I have been snuggling up together in one bed since before we were married." Lucius made an audible snort from the chair. "We've always done it for comfort—in fact, Mummy and I used to have nightmares when we were younger. Sleeping together was very comforting. We knew we had each other." Draco finished. Scorpius seemed to like that explanation.

The small boy settled down right between them, pulling the blankets up to his chin with a smile on his face. "Can I stay here for a little bit?" he asked. Lucius rose from the chair. "Scorpius, your mother and father need to rest. Come—I'll have Grandmother meet you in the sitting room." he said. Scorpius snuggled deeper under the covers. "Please, Grandfather? Can't I stay here while they go to sleep?" he begged, turning his big blue eyes upon the man. Lucius sighed. "Just until they go to sleep. I'll be in to check on you in a little bit, alright?" He left the room just after casting a dimming charm upon the lights. Draco and Astoria wrapped their arms around Scorpius. "We're so glad to see you, love." she whispered. The young boy could tell that her body was exhausted, and that it would be no time at all before she was sound asleep. As her eyes closed, he looked to his father. Draco smiled at him weakly. He moved closer, wrapping an arm around Astoria and Scorpius. It was peacefully still for a long time. After a while, Scorpius pressed his ear against his father's chest. "Daddy, I can hear your heart." he whispered. "It sounds…sad. It's beating very slow. Why?"

"Well…when I had my heart attack, they had to use lots of special spells on me to make it start again. Now it has to readjust on its own."

"Will it ever be normal?"

"In time, yes my dear. But things need to go slow in order to heal properly. Anything that involves recovery takes time."

"So…like Hogwarts?"

"What do you mean, darling?"

"Like when I left home for Hogwarts. You mean it's going to take time for me to recover from missing you guys?"

"Scorpius…you really miss us, don't you?"

"Every single day."

"Listen, baby. It's only been two months. By Christmastime, you'll love it—and everything will stop being so crazy, alright? Take it in steps: even my healer said that I shouldn't walk for a whole week. I can't leave my bed at all. Try that, Scorpius—for a few days, just find a place on school grounds that makes you feel happy, and stay there for a while. Do your homework there, read, write. Whatever you want. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course, Daddy."

Draco leaned over and kissed his son's head. The pair closed their eyes and began to drift into a soft sleep. Just before Scorpius completely dozed off, he heard his father let out a big sigh. "Oh, my baby. This is why your mother and I worry ourselves sick—we just want you to be safe." The words hit Scorpius hard, probably harder than they should've. That unexplainable guilt crept back into his head, weighing his heart, upsetting his stomach. He felt like the source of their suffering. How could he make them see that he was trying _so hard_ to be happy, but everything else was just causing him so much distress?

Scorpius fell asleep between his parents rather incompletely, and he felt himself being lifted out of the bed by his grandfather. He was placed in a room that had his pet Pygmy Puff, Scruffy, scurrying about in its cage. The soft bed beneath him was cold; it made him uncomfortable. That guilt was becoming painful—he was beginning to feel a headache coming on. "Is he asleep?" he heard his grandmother whisper. "Out cold," Lucius responded. Some shuffling occurred. "Let him have his creature thing." Narcissa went on. "Draco told me he used to sleep with it in his bed at home. I'm sure the thing is happy to see him, whatever it is." He felt Scruffy scuttle up to his face. The green ball of fur settled itself right near his forehead, as always. The grandparents kissed him, then left him alone with his pet, his worry, his guilt.

Late that night, Draco felt restless as he thought about his conversation with his son. Astoria slept close to him. He reached over to the bedside table, grabbed his wand, and cast a heating charm upon her blankets so that she wouldn't be cold in his newly decided absence. He soundlessly slipped out of bed. Immediately, his heart began racing—he felt lightheaded. But he pushed through, creeping out of the bedroom and down the hall to the empty guestroom with the fireplace. He shut the door behind him. Even placed a silencing charm to seal in his noise. He decided that this could be dangerous, considering if he fainted or had another heart attack, no one would hear him, but he knew it would be worth it in the end. He had business to take care of. For his son.

Draco firecalled the Zabini Mansion, impatiently waiting to see one of the parents' heads pop into the green flames. "Zabini," he said to speed the process. Pansy became visible first. "Well, well. Would you look who it is—the _traitor_," she spat. Draco was unmoved. "Pansy, as pleasant as always. We have something to talk about. Get your husband."

"You don't demand anything of me, you scum! Maybe you can order around your worthless excuse of a wife, but you can't—"

"Don't you _DARE_ speak about Astoria like that, you prissy little rat!"

"Malfoy? Is that you?" Blaise Zabini asked, his head becoming visible in the fireplace.

"Zabini, get her out of this conversation before I personally mail you a hex in an unmarked letter from an unmarked owl!"

"Pansy dear, please leave the men to discuss whatever is so pressing….Alright, Malfoy. What did you need to talk to me about? It's been years—"

"Your son is hurting mine."

"…What are you talking about?"

"Joseph. At Hogwarts. He's being cruel to my Scorpius, and I don't like hearing that my son is scared to go to the commonroom, or that your kid is insulting mine. End it, Zabini."

"Draco, I've raised my boy to be a model pureblood. I haven't heard of any problems arising with other students, especially against another pureblood. Perhaps your son is…being a bit dramatic?"

"I know that my son sends me letters saying that Joseph scares him and gets in his way purposefully. Don't tell me that's 'model behavior' or whatever you said."

"…Draco, did it ever occur to you that your son just may not be ready?"

There was a pause in which Draco said nothing.

"I mean really, think about it. He's still so young. He was born too early—even though you can argue that he learned quickly and is smart, he'll always be a little bit behind. In stature, in health, in experience. He's _little_, Draco. There's nothing else to describe it. Perhaps he hasn't been exposed to joking around, and he just thinks that Joseph is being cruel to him. Maybe this is all a misunderstanding. He just doesn't _know_ any other way. He's still a little child."

This hit Draco harder than anything could have. Sure, Zabini was a Slytherin and was probably pulling every string he could grasp to make it look like his son was a saint, but was there a hint of truth in that? Maybe not with the whole bullying thing, but for Hogwarts in general? Maybe Scorpius should've waited a year before going—perhaps that could've given him more time for real-world exposure. Was Draco a bad parent for just assuming his son would have no weaknesses? "Zabini, I am just as much a Slytherin as you are. Pinning the blame upon my son and my parental decisions is only an attempt to distract me from recognizing your son as the perpetrator. I'm not opposing you, but I'm not agreeing with you. Just keep in mind that I'll be monitoring our children's interactions and if things don't improve…well…I may send you that owl afterall."

"You'll be monitoring our children's interactions using the one-sided account of your own son?"

_Damn_—why did he have to be so Slytherin? Draco sighed. "Tell Joseph to lay off Scorpius for a while. Our family's going through a rough time right now; Astoria's condition has worsened and I've just suffered a massive heart attack. He's at a loss without us. Let him off easy for a bit, will you?" he asked. Zabini was still for a moment. He seemed to be pondering the request. "…I'll write to Joseph in the morning and inform him of Scorpius's pressure. What he decides to do will determine the influence of my pureblood standards, won't it?" And with a lingering cackle from Pansy, that was that.


	6. Year 1: Late May

**This is the last chapter for Scorpius's first year! Sorry but I feel like he has to be a bit older for the other things I have planned to work out. So I'm moving it along! I hope you are liking this so far. Thank you for the feedback! This one's a biggie, so be prepared! :)**

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Scorpius's time back at school was anything but easy. Zabini in _no way_ relented with the teasing. He was welcomed back warmly by Albus and the other kids though, who had no idea why he was absent for a few days and what was going on with his family. After explaining and receiving love, Scorpius felt a little better about being back at school. Even Rose broke her professional courtesies to remind him that if he ever needed to talk, she would be there for him. The teachers gave Scorpius a little bit of a break as far as make-up work went—they made sure he got caught up with the subjects, but didn't require him to do any extra work or anything. If only the other Slytherins weren't so cruel to him, he would have actually been alright with starting school again.

The holidays went by pretty quickly as well. As much as he hated to admit it, Scorpius was a little glad to leave home after Christmas and return to Hogwarts. It wasn't that he enjoyed school. It was just that both places seemed to be a personal hell for him, and if he had to choose, he'd pick the one he didn't have any control over. And that was Hogwarts. Being in Malfoy Manor and the little cottage he grew up in stifled him with guilt; every time his mother would fall, every time his father would gingerly touch his chest over his heart, he felt completely and utterly responsible. If only he didn't have to worry them so much. If only he could be a little stronger and hold his own—they wouldn't need to fret about him. But at Hogwarts, it was other people that made _him_ miserable, not the other way around. And if he had to take the brunt of it, that would be alright. Just as long as no one else he loved had to suffer. Not once did he ever talk about Joseph Zabini's tormenting—not to Rose, James, Lorcan, Lysander, not even to Albus. Why should he? They could all end up with heart attacks too.

Scorpius sat with Rose at their Potions table, carefully measuring out a half-teaspoon of powdered dragon scales while she stirred counterclockwise ten times. Their mixture glowed a vibrant purple—just as it was supposed to. "Excellent, _excellent!_ Well done so far, Miss Weasley and Mister Malfoy!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed with a hearty laugh as he passed by. The joy was short-lived though, because he had to bolt across the room to assist Albus and Marissa Corner when their potion turned a sickly green color and shot off putrid sparks. "I'll take the scales now," Rose said. Scorpius gently handed her the teaspoon. "Hey, Malfoy!" a whisper sneered. Both partners looked up. Zabini and Dania Goyle were giggling together. "If you're so good at potions, then why don't you make one up to cure your deathly mother?" Joseph went on. Rose sharpened her gaze. "What did he just say to you?" she whispered to Scorpius without moving her eyes away. He reddened considerably—a lot of people were staring at him. "N-Nothing…he's just joking." he tried to lie. "You wouldn't though!" Zabini continued. "Because that would make the professors stop feeling sorry for you! What a sad excuse for a family—a cowardly father, a 'deathly ill' mother, and a teeny-tiny _preemie_ baby of a son!" Scorpius felt his whole face flush. He'd never spoken to anyone about his early birth—anyone at all. How did Zabini know? A few other people were laughing now, including Hufflepuffs and even a few Gryffindors. "Scorpius!" Rose whispered in shock. "Do something!" But he couldn't. This was normal Zabini teasing. There wasn't anything he could do to stop it. "I-I…can't…." he whimpered as he turned his face away from the stares.

Suddenly, he heard a clang of a teaspoon hitting the tabletop and a chair grinding backwards against the floor. A few people gasped. Scorpius looked up to see what was happening, and he himself gasped at the sight of Rose stalking away from the potion, away from the _perfect_ grade she aspired, towards Joseph Zabini and Dania Goyle. "R-Rose…?" Scorpius whispered uselessly. After a moment of staring them both down, Rose lifted her arm and slapped Zabini right across the face. Dania shrieked dramatically. Once Zabini realized what had happened, Rose reached over and threw a jar of pickled squid tentacles on the front of Dania's robes. The Slytherin girl's piercing scream was loud enough for Professor Slughorn to hear over the vile hissing of Albus's potion-gone-wrong. He hauled it back towards the three students, asking what on earth happened. Rose simply explained that she was only teaching them a well-deserved lesson in peer respect. "I wasn't disrespecting that scum!" Zabini roared, pointing at Scorpius. Rose rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Joseph. If you're going to pretend to be a model Slytherin, you're going to have to disguise your fault a little better than that." she sarcastically replied. She turned back to look at Scorpius. "Keep stirring it! We're still getting graded!" she encouraged as though unaffected by her own actions. Professor Slughorn sighed. "Miss Weasley, that was a little harsh. I'm going to give you detention with me this Saturday evening at seven o'clock. You'll be washing cauldrons. Ten points from Gryffindor. Mr. Zabini, that goes for you too, but I'd like for you to come on Friday night so that we may avoid any other confrontations between you guys. I am rather disappointed that you caused me to take points from my own House. Ten points from Slytherin as well." Rose agreed to her punishment as if it were nothing and went back to her seat proudly.

Scorpius stared at her when she sat back down and continued adding the ingredients. "R-Rose…you just…"

"I know what I did, and I'd do it again if the need arises." she responded coolly. Scorpius paused. "B-But…"

"And I did it for you because you don't deserve to have someone throw insults about your family at you like that. Believe me. I know. My dad and my aunt heard it all the time growing up."

"You've…never been in detention before."

"Neither have you, but I figured it would be better if I snapped on him before you did. My dad got in detention loads of times when he was here. I reckon my mum did too because they were friends. But I didn't think your dad would like it if he heard you were acting up."

"You took the fault,"

"Mhmm,"

"For me…?"

"Of course."

"But…"

"Because we're _friends_, Scorpius."

Scorpius studied her in a new light. She'd always been very formal and rather distanced from him, which he'd always considered was because of their parents, but she suddenly seemed a little closer to him. He realized what Gryffindor bravery actually meant—sacrificing one's comfort for another's well-being. He felt himself smiling. "Could you drop in three tentacles please?" she asked as if nothing had occurred that class. Scorpius glanced at her. "Sure," he replied. He looked up and saw that Albus's potion was now letting off a hazy orange smoke, and that both Albus and Marissa had slightly sooty faces. As they swatted at their messy air pollution, Albus gave Scorpius a thumbs-up. The blonde grinned again. He realized he truly had friends that loved him.

Scorpius poured some potion into a flask and left it on Professor Slughorn's desk along with everyone else's. As he caught up with Albus on his way out the door, someone shoved him from behind. "I'll get you, Malfoy." Zabini growled lowly. He gave one more push and left the small boy behind him when he stormed away. Albus patted Scorpius's shoulder. "And should he ever live up to that promise, I'll get Rose on him again." he assured. The boys smiled at each other. Were things actually getting easier? Scorpius hoped so, he really did. Now if only he could ease that internal fear/guilt mixture about his family that was brewing inside of him, maybe life could actually be enjoyable.


	7. Year 2: Early October

**Ok, so I had to put this chapter in to really get things rolling personally with Scorpius. I hope you enjoy it, but I think after this chapter the rating is going to have to go up a little. As you can see, I'm hinting that stuff is going to get real. Nothing graphic, nothing really exceptionally detrimental, but Scorpius has to grow up and that involves making personal choices. Like I said, it won't be anything horrendous or story-altering. Just be prepared for some angst in the next chapter, but I don't forsee any romance. But for now, enjoy! :)**

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Scorpius shifted his grip on his armful of books as he walked down one of the corridors to class. His second year had picked up right where the first had left off—his mother was still fragile, his father constantly worried about him, Zabini didn't relent in the bullying, and his Gryffindor friends remained close to him. It certainly wasn't any easier. But Scorpius had decided at the beginning of the school year that he was going to pick himself up and show the world what the new Malfoy generation could do. He was definitely trying, that was for sure.

As he hurried along alone to his Divination class, Albus Potter came running out pf the third-floor boys' bathroom. "Scorpius! Hey, Scorpius!" he shouted as he bolted. The smaller blonde paused in his tracks to meet the much taller than last year boy. "Albus, whatever are you in such a frenzy about?" he asked with a laugh. The messy head of black hair tilted back and chuckled as well. "I forgot to tell you something during Transfiguration, but I can't remember why…!"

"Probably because we were taking a test in that class and weren't allowed to talk,"

"That's very true. Now I don't feel so forgetful! But anyway, I meant to ask if you were going to try out for Quidditch this year!"

Scorpius suddenly felt a little nervous for reasons he couldn't pinpoint. "O-Oh…er…I don't really think so…"

"But why?! James played last year and the year before, and he said it really wasn't hard. He's going to help me try out for the Gryffindor team. Our dad and mum both played here. He was one of the best Seekers the school has ever seen, and she took over for him after he became team captain! He told me that your dad played too."

"Y-Yeah…my daddy was a Seeker for Slytherin. He was good, but not as good as yours."

"So you've got the blood in you too! Just come try out with me!"

"I-I…I don't think that's a good idea…"

"Come on, Scorpius! _Pleeeeaaaassseee?_"

"I just don't want to…"

"You can do it! If I go, you're coming too—"

"Albus, I said _NO!_"

Albus looked a little taken aback at the harshness of Scorpius's tone. The blonde put a delicate hand up to his mouth. "I-I'm sorry, Albus. I didn't mean…I didn't want to yell…oh, I'm so sorry…." he whispered. The dark-haired boy sighed, trying to smile sadly. "It's alright, Scorpius. I'm not mad at you. I'm just confused as to why you won't just _try_." he answered. Scorpius looked away. In the distance, Zabini and Dania Goyle were turning into the Divination classroom. "Because I'm scared," he murmured. Albus glanced up just in time to miss their appearance. He patted his friend's shoulder. "I'll be there for you. And so will James. I keep trying to get Lorcan and Lysander to try out too, but they said they might just commentate like their mum. …We'll all be there for you." he assured. Scorpius nodded. He followed his friend into the classroom, wondering what on earth he'd just gotten himself into.

Quidditch tryouts were held at the beginning of October. Everyone was required to line up with their respective Houses, as one couldn't play for the other. Scorpius nervously stood on the pitch, holding his wrists—he was the smallest one trying out. He was the smallest one out of everyone from each House. James was helping with the selection process. He gave Scorpius a thumbs-up while Renee Finch-Fletchey shouted out directions to everyone, as well as took a role of who was to be on what team. Before Scorpius knew it (and quite possibly before he was even ready), they shoved a broom into his hand and told him to fly.

While flying up in the sky, Scorpius kept his eye open for a shiny gold flicker—if he caught it, they'd make him Seeker. He also made sure he had an eye out for any bludgers—it he dodged, he could be a Beater. For a split second, he decided to think about his father flying high above on this pitch. He pictured a smaller Draco Malfoy winding past a goalpost, reaching his hand out just as Harry Potter did, and grasping that beautiful Snitch. The thought made Scorpius smile. The nerves relented a bit. "Well done, Malfoy!" James called from a short distance away, pointing at a bludger that was sailing behind him. Apparently he'd dodged without knowing it. He smiled a little; if he could make this Slytherin Quidditch team, maybe his father would see that he was fitting in and wouldn't worry so much. This could change things. Zabini would have to respect him. He'd have something to do after finishing all of his homework. Yes. This needed to happen. Scorpius momentarily closed his eyes and pretended that he was Draco Malfoy, the brave hero that his father was, soaring over the pitch with confidence and assurance. That boy over there wasn't Albus Severus Potter—it was Harry James Potter, his rival. The one he had to beat. Scorpius leaned forward and zoomed across the pitch on his broom; he'd just spotted a tiny golden dot flitting about.

Scorpius had never felt so free. Everything around his was blurred and constantly changing—nothing ever remained constantly bad. He was in control of his own direction. He pulled to a halt the moment he didn't see the Snitch anymore, eyeing Albus who seemed to be searching as well. Not Albus, _Harry_. The smile never leaving his cheeks, he glanced down to see the Quidditch team captains scribbling on their clipboards. Suddenly, a hissing voice whispered into his ear from behind him, "Look who's here—the boy that's got his father living through him, encouraging him to be the brave he never was." Scorpius whirled his broom around to see Joseph Zabini hovering right beside him. "Is that it, Scorpius? Are you really trying to be the best at everything to make up for your father's blatant failure?" he scoffed. Scorpius's eyes darted everywhere for an escape. "Why try?" Zabini shouted as the boy pulled forward and away from him. "You've got his blood! You've got that cowardice inherently! What a mistake of a pureblood!" Scorpius's cheeks burned. Why couldn't he just stop? Why did he know every single one of Scorpius's weaknesses? Why did he always aim his shots at his family?

Suddenly, Scorpius felt a crack against his upper left arm. "Ow…" he whimpered as he rubbed it with his free hand. "Down! Malfoy! Get down on the ground!" James shouted. That was it—it was over. He'd been struck by a bludger. He no longer had a chance. Slowly, Scorpius lowered himself back down onto the grass, trying to block out Dania's giggles from above. He slid off his broom, keeping his head down low. James met him there on the ground. "You alright?" he asked breathlessly. Scorpius nodded. It really didn't hurt that much—in fact, it made his mental pain seem a little less harsh. "Slytherin captain wanted to see you. Andro Cemovich—the guy over there with the clipboard and the brown hair. He'd like to have a word about your abilities with you. Just stay strong; I've gotta go back up in the air. Don't…don't cry until you get into the locker rooms, alright? I just don't want that Ziti kid or whatever having any more reason to tease you." he instructed. Scorpius nodded solemnly. He didn't want to go hear the bad news, but he felt like James was still supporting him, and that made things a little easier.

Andro waved Scorpius over. He knelt down to get closer to the boy's tiny height. "You're Malfoy?" he asked. The blonde bobbed his head. "I-I'm sorry….I can do better…" he began nervously, but Andro just laughed. "Don't be sorry, Malfoy. I actually think you played really well. You had very good control, good composure—I just don't really know what happened there at the end. But I'm sure we can fix that. There are two things I'd like for you to do before I let you on this team, alright? Number one, I'd like you to get your focus a little sharper. Like I said, you had really good control and composure, but when your concentration breaks, the whole game could be lost. So make a real effort to hone in on that focus, alright? The other one…well, I don't quite know how to say this politely, but…gain some weight. You're feather-light—I can tell not only by just looking at you, but the way your broom flies. Someone with a normal weight could fly in a straight path for hours and hours. But you…your broom rises as you go—that could be dangerous in a game. It needs to be on a steady track. So go eat a big dinner tonight, with dessert, and force yourself to pay attention in History of Magic tomorrow. When we come back next week for practice, I'll weigh you and give you another play, alright?" Andro advised. Scorpius lit up. "S-So…I move on to round two? I'm not kicked out just yet?" he asked. The older boy chuckled and rumpled his hair. "Not just yet. Get those things together and we'll see how it goes." Scorpius couldn't stop himself from giving a little jump in excitement as he ran to the locker rooms.

For an entire week, Scorpius focused hard in all of his classes—he even beat Rose on two out of three tests. He ate a lot at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which was something he'd never actually done before in his life. He never really ever had an appetite, and ate only enough to be substantial for his small body. But this was an effort. He really truly wanted to not be so skinny anymore—he wanted to look like a Quidditch player. His parents sent him so many proud letters expressing their love for him and their wishes for success. Scorpius Malfoy felt better than he had in a year and several weeks of attending Hogwarts; who knew one little change could affect him so much?

The next week, Andro Cemovich held another round of tryouts. While the other kids flew around in the sky above, Andro had Scorpius step on a magical little platform that would accurately read how much he weighed, and send the information directly to the clipboard so it remained private. Scorpius beamed as he confidently stepped onto the square. After a moment, he heard Andro sigh. "Did you follow my instructions?" he asked. Suddenly, all of his happiness drained. "W-What?" Scorpius stammered, unnerved once again. "Scorpius, I told you to eat a lot, gain some weight, look a little more brawny. Why didn't you? Do you _want_ to be on this team?"

"I do! I do! I really tried, sir! I ate and I drank and I even had desserts! I had more to eat than I ever did in my whole life! What did the scale say? What did it say I weighed?!"

"It said…you weigh only seventy-nine pounds. Scorpius, you're going to be thirteen. You know what a normal thirteen-year-old weighs? At least ninety pounds. Maybe even more, if they were a Quidditch player. I can't risk it. One bludger to you and you're snapped in half. I'm sorry, Scorpius. Maybe next year."

"Please, sir! I'll eat more! By the first practice I'll be a good size! I can't help it—I was born this way! I was born early, alright? I came out a few months before I was supposed to, and my mummy was really really sick. It's not like I'm starving myself or doing this on purpose! It really just is how I'm made!"

"Scorpius Malfoy, that's enough! I'm team captain, and I've made my decision. I know that you can't help it. I get that. I think the problem is that you've been focusing really hard on your schoolwork, right? It's just stress that's doing this to you. You can eat an elephant, but if you're stressed, your body's going to burn the calories a lot faster even without activity. I'm sorry, Scorpius. It's just a no."

The small blonde felt everything come crashing down inside of him. His whole hope, his entire goal was just smashed. Right then and there. Over something he couldn't control. He felt tears bubble up in his eyes, but he remembered James's advice of hiding it until he was alone to avoid further teasing. Scorpius nodded. He began to walk away slowly, feeling beyond embarrassed at himself. "Hey, where are you going?!" a voice called form behind him. Albus hopped off his broom and ran towards his friend. "Where are you going? You haven't even been on a broom yet!" he exclaimed. Scorpius gave a watery smile. "I'm done. They don't want me on the team yet." he replied.

"But…why not?"

"Personal reasons. It's just…it isn't my time yet."

"But Scorpius, you were so happy—"

"I know! I know I was! It's just never going to stay that way for me though. It's not meant to be."

"Scorpius…you're meant to be happy…"

"I…I can't do _anything_, Albus…."

With that, Scorpius broke down. He wasn't the top in his class. He didn't make the Quidditch team. He couldn't fit in in Slytherin. Why were things so difficult? Was he even supposed to be at Hogwarts? Albus gently wrapped his arms around the crying boy's shoulders. "Hey," he murmured softly. "It's ok. It's going to be alright."

"I'm a failure!"

"You're not a failure,"

"Yes I am!"

"You're not,"

"I'm a disgrace to the Malfoy name!"

"Your parents would never say that,"

"They could think it!"

"But they won't,"

"How do you know? Your parents are heroes! And mine are…are…are _still_ getting joked about for being the opposite! I don't even know why!"

Albus didn't really know what to say. So he just kept hugging Scorpius there, letting him cry everything out. Occasionally he'd offer a comforting hush, or offer to walk him back to the Slytherin dungeons. But eventually Scorpius managed to compose his crying down to only hiccups, and he promised he'd go to his dormitory and just lie down. Albus gave him one more pat on the shoulder. He watched the small boy walk slowly inside, arms wrapped around himself displaying the ultimate feeling of insecurity.

Scorpius changed his clothes and crawled into his fourposter. He pulled his quill and parchment out from his trunk, preparing to break the news to his ever-supportive parents. Why weren't things just getting better for him? Why couldn't he bounce back like normal kids?

_Dear Mummy and Daddy,_

_I didn't make the Quidditch team. Cemovich said I was underweight, and that even though I tried to gain, it just isn't possible for some people when stress is factored in. I'm very disappointed in myself. I honestly tried so hard. I wouldn't be surprised if you are disappointed too—you have every right to be. I'm sorry I'm amounting to nothing so far. It's my second year and I don't even have a specialty yet. Why am I so far behind? It feels that way. I'm still doing well in my classes, but I'm not first yet. …I just can't stop thinking about Quidditch. I'm sorry I failed. I'm so sorry. I understand if you're upset, but just please don't hate me. I think I'm doing that enough for everyone._

_Love,_

_Scorpius_


	8. Year 2: Early December

**Sorry to do this to you all, but _I'll be gone for a few days. Just for less than a week _though! But please continue your reviewing and support while I gather up some new ideas for our little Scorpius! It won't be long. Just a few days. Let me know if you like this chapter, because this is a base off of which I will build for the next few!**

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Cold weather swept in and brought occasional flurries to the Hogwarts castle—something the children relished in. Though he was the Herbology teacher, Professor Longbottom took it upon himself to give a quick lesson to all his classes on how to magically build a snowman with just a few wand flicks. All around the front of the campus, little snowmen popped up. Some wore blue scarves of Ravenclaw, others had Spirt roots for noses. Distinctly different snowmen represented the variety of students attending Hogwarts—it seemed no two were exactly alike.

Scorpius took a big spoonful of warm soup from his bowl at dinnertime, enjoying the taste and the heat it provided for his cold little body. After swallowing, he took a bite of bread. Everyone at his table talked to each other, just not to him. But the silence was becoming a bit more bearable. He could think without being interrupted. Every so often, he'd catch Chrysanthemum glancing at him, so he'd give her a small smile in an attempt to start up a conversation. But as quick as she'd look she would blink her eyes away. He hoped that someday, she'd just talk to him again like she did at the beginning of last year. He wished he wasn't ignored so much. Looking up at the Ravenclaw table, he caught sight of Lorcan and Lysander switching plates of food between each other. They saw him watching them and eagerly gave an identical wave. Scorpius glanced up at the Gryffindor table. Albus and the others were roaring with laughter about something James had said, and Rose was turning a little pink as she tried to suppress a giggle and elbow her cousin in the ribs. They were all so happy. Scorpius decided he could make it look like he was enjoying his House too. He looked towards a conversation between Tam Jordan and Dania Goyle, trying to be interested and laughing when necessary. But they ignored him completely. Didn't even look his way.

Suddenly, a big hand came around and patted Scorpius's stomach. The small boy gasped at such strange contact. He whipped his head around and came face to face with none other than Joseph Zabini. "Gaining a little weight, Malfoy?" he asked, catching every Slytherin's attention. "You already didn't make the Quidditch team. Why are you still trying to get fat?" A few Slytherins chuckled. Scorpius blushed furiously in embarrassment at this sudden attack. Zabini cracked another joke. "Pretty soon we'll have to roll him out of the Great Hall to his sickly mother. Maybe then his strict 'Daddy' will get him starved back to a normal weight! Or he'll at least hide his obese son so that the Malfoys look perfect on the outside, like always!" More laughter ensued. But Scorpius was no longer listening. He was watching as Chrysanthemum actually giggled at the humiliation. She raised a piece of bread to her face to cover her smile, but he could she her shoulders shaking as she silently laughed. This became too much for him. How could she change like that? She'd been so nice to him last year! Zabini made her change. Scorpius felt his whole face drain. He abruptly stood up from the table and bolted out of the Great Hall, not heading for anyone that called his name or ordered for him to stop.

He didn't know where he was running—he just kept flying down the halls and taking turns he didn't know even existed. A thousand things zoomed through his mind. A hundred voices called him terrible things, laughed at him, told him to do things that scared him…

Scorpius's heart raced when he found a deserted second-floor boys' bathroom. He turned in and gripped the edge of the sink so hard, his knuckles turned white. Why couldn't this just stop? Maybe if he didn't eat, or at least didn't eat as much, Zabini couldn't joke about his body. _That's it. Just make yourself thinner,_ Scorpius thought. _Then he can't call me fat, or make fun of my Quidditch failure, or make Chrissy laugh at me…_ Scorpius slowly raised his head to look at himself in the mirror. He was actually sort of a mess; he didn't look fat at all. But if Zabini saw it, and it was noticeable enough for Chrissy and the others to laugh about, then it had to be rid of. Scorpius realized he had dark crescents under his eyes from not sleeping enough hours—Zabini had fixed that too. His face was pale and he looked just plain weak. Broken. What would his father say about this? His mother? Oh, she would be in hysterical tears, and then that damned disease would grip her throat and prevent her from breathing which would send his father into panic and they'd have to work hard to get her to relax and fight it off. And once she was alright, then the guilt would creep back over Scorpius as he was the one who'd caused all this. Without even realizing it, he heard himself let out a pitiful sob.

He cried by himself for a very long time there in that bathroom, feeling completely alone. He thought of home. He thought of his parents' worrying. He thought of himself. He thought of his appearance and weight. A sick feeling rose up in his stomach, forcing him to dash to a stall just in time to throw up into one of the toilets. Scorpius's hands shook as he wiped his face. He felt so broken… "Scorpius?" a voice called out. Immediately, the small blonde whipped around to see who was intruding on his incredibly personal moment. Albus stepped into view gingerly, his hands nervously twisting up by his chest. Scorpius turned his back to him. "Please…" he begged. Albus reached out. "Please what? I'm just here to help you. It's ok, I'm right here." he told him. Scorpius felt tears slide down his cheeks again. "No!" he cried. "Just stay there! Stay where you are! I-I can do this alone, I'm fine!" But Albus didn't stop approaching him slowly. "Stop, Albus! Don't come near me!" Scorpius yelled warningly. Albus stopped walking when he was just a few feet away from his blonde opposite. The two stared at each other. Abruptly, Albus sprang forward and knocked Scorpius down onto the ground. "Stop! Stop! Don't do this! Just leave me alone! I can do it myself! I can—"

"Scorpius, just calm down!"

The small boy froze under the weight pinning him down. His blue eyes gazed tearfully into the green eyes of Albus Potter, who was searching his face for some kind of answer as to why the poor boy was so upset. Albus gently rubbed his shoulders to get him to stop crying and take deep breaths. "Scorpius," he whispered. "It's alright. I'm right here. Nothing's going to happen to you." He eased his grip to allow Scorpius to sit up. He leaned against the wall and took his friend with him, sitting pressed shoulder-to-shoulder beside the sinks. A very long silence ensued. "You know," Albus said softly after a while. "Our dads met up in this bathroom once."

"…I don't think I want to talk about Daddy right now…"

"It's not a bad story. My dad tells me it sometimes when he's reminding me to be a good friend. As I get older, he adds in more details though. Want to hear it?"

"I don't know…"

"I'll start it, and if you get uncomfortable you have to tell me, alright?"

"O-Ok,"

"Your dad was feeling really stressed and alone, and he ran into this bathroom to cry by himself. But then my dad followed him in, and well…he sort of threw an accusation at him. That wasn't right, and he admits it. So then they started throwing hexes at each other—"

"Albus, please!"

"Alright…I'm sorry….Are you ok?"

"Everyone in Slytherin tells me my daddy was bad!"

"But…but my dad started it. He tells me that story because he says that he should've reached out to your dad and sat with him instead of accusing him about stuff. He reminds me to not be one-sided like him."

"…Do you know why they say my daddy was bad?"

"Well…I mean, I know as much as my mum and dad tell me. They said he was a follower of You-Know-Who. Voldemort, I guess it's safe to say. He and your grandparents were Death Eaters—the name for these close followers."

"…Death…Eaters?"

"So he did bad things through that. He hurt people. He lied. He let the other Death Eaters into Hogwarts to kill students. I guess that's why they say he was bad. Your parents never told you all of this?"

"N-Never…"

"It's nothing to be ashamed about. He turned good in the end. It wasn't his fault—he _had_ to do all that stuff. Dad says he didn't have much of a choice."

"W-Was that…the Dark Mark?"

"The Dark Mark was branded on their left forearms, yes."

Scorpius was reduced to shaking. He felt cheated by his parents—why hadn't they _told_ him any of this? Especially when he'd opened up to them about the bullying? Yet they never explained why his last name held the door open for teasing. Albus rubbed the boy's shoulder. "You still alright?" he asked. Scorpius nodded. Of course he wasn't, but he did not want to open up about all that stuff right there in front of his friend who didn't deserve to be dragged into his misery. "I heard you throwing up. Now that your stomach's empty, you must be starving!" Albus tried to offer lightly. Scorpius rubbed his face and accepted his friend's hand to help him rise. He was so hungry. But he was also fat. And Chrissy found that funny. "Actually…I-I think it was something I ate. I'll just head up to bed now, if you don't mind." Scorpius said weakly. Albus nodded, smiling in a sad way. "I'll bring you to your commonroom." he suggested.

As the pair walked, Scorpius made his decision—no more overeating. No more normal eating. Small portions from now on, and nothing extra if he ever got snackish. That's it. If Zabini was looking for something else to tease him about, it certainly was not going to be over something he could control. He'd just end this weight problem, and eventually Zabini would have to run out of jokes…

…Right?


	9. Year 2: mid-May

**I'm back! This is a long chapter; it's a real turning point. I'm just warning you that there may be some triggering scenes in here, but I don't want to tell you what it is and give it away early! So I advise that if you get the hints while reading and feel uncomfortable, please just stop or skip ahead. Don't forget to enjoy and let me know what you think! :)**

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A whole winter went by of Scorpius's new diet. How he'd managed to get around his mother's urging to have more of meal around the holidays, he didn't even know. Must've been the Slytherin in him. He could've gotten away with it entirely, had spring not come around and been particularly warm for that year. Cloaks came off, short-sleeved shirts were displayed, and swims in the lake became more and more common around Hogwarts—especially around his friends. Albus was always trying to get him in the water, begging him to just put on a pair of shorts and jump in with him, but Scorpius always refused. He'd sit on the bank with a book and just watch as Lysander draped a piece of algae atop his brother's head, causing him to shriek in surprise, as Rose was tossed through the air back and forth between her cousins James and Albus. Swimming would mean showing his emaciated body to the world. That wasn't something he was particularly proud of. The stress of daily life in Slytherin and the reduced portions of food had taken a large toll on his health—he looked completely starved. At first, he started denying food to prevent any teasing and bullying about his size. But he realized that he now just wanted to waste away, to die silently and unnoticed, because he was unhappy with himself in every possible way.

Scorpius hugged his robes closer to him. Ever since he'd lost so much weight, he'd been chilled due to his little body fat. "Goodness," Rose remarked as the friends made their way to Divination class. "How on earth do you not have your sleeves rolled up? It's so hot today! You'll probably have heat stroke if you keep wearing them down, Scorpius. You could die from that you know." she rattled off. The blonde boy just watched the ground as they walked. Please let me have heat stroke… he thought. But he was interrupted by Albus's groan of impatience. "Lay off, Rosie! Maybe he doesn't want to get sunburned!" he chuckled. Scorpius faked a smile as the two bickered back and forth for a little bit. The lightness of the conversation had to cease with a goodbye to the twin Ravenclaws and the clan of Gryffindors when Scorpius reached the classroom and had to go sit with the Slytherins. It pained him more and more every time—why did he have to go be tortured in his classes when he could be happy with people who actually cared about him?

Nobody knew about his eating problem. Not Rose, not Albus, not James, neither of the twins, and especially not his parents. Nobody was allowed to know. Because if he told, then they'd try to stop him; try to keep him here on this earth where he was placed to simply be the subject of cruel humor and occupy a desk in the classrooms of Hogwarts. He had to do it himself. So at dinner, he took a good amount of food on his plate. He'd pick at it, play with it on his fork, and then under the table cast a newly learned vanishing spell upon portions to make it look eaten. It wasn't like anyone at the Slytherin table paid attention to him anyway. He had become a pro at this within the past few months. But tonight he had a different plan in mind, and it all started with a letter from his father that morning.

Scorpius's owl had delivered him a piece of parchment from Draco Malfoy, detailing his concern for his son. He'd remarked about how none of Scorpius's replies ever seemed happy—they were all gloomy and self-disappointed. Draco wrote that if Scorpius needed some time at home to have a confidence boost or wanted to wait a little bit before returning to school, he would grant him that liberty. Any other stressed child would see it as a welcoming invitation from a parent; but to Scorpius, all the words hinted that Draco and Astoria were beginning to catch on to his depression. If they caught on, they'd check his health. His weight. They'd realize that he was starving himself to attempt a shot at a quiet death. They'd stop him. So Scorpius slipped out of the Great Hall after dinner that night along with all of the other students, calmly reporting to Albus and James that he had to go to the library to see if it had a book he was looking for. They agreed to catch up with him in the next day's Potions lesson, wishing him luck in finding his book.

Scorpius didn't go to the library at all. And he planned to not be seen in class at all tomorrow.

Instead, the tiny boy made his way up to the darkened Herbology greenhouse—a favorite spot of his; somewhere that was quiet, calm, and out of the way of people walking about. He was safe there to do what he had to do. Stepping into the 'classroom', or greenhouse, Scorpius tiptoed past the twisting vines of several fourth-years' potted projects, inhaled the delightful scent of the opening petals of the Moonflowers as they delicately waved in the air like tentacles. Yes, this was a good place to go. He crept over to one of the glass panels and looked down. He could see the grounds of Hogwarts beneath him. Some student wandered about to their dormitories for the night, but the stillness looked so peaceful. For most children, Hogwarts was a fantastical place of wonder and magic—but for him, it caused him incredible stress, distance, and homesickness. He was lonely. He was glad to decide to just end it all quickly.

Scorpius crouched down onto his knees beneath a table full of Snargaluffs, withdrawing a folded up piece of paper he'd torn out of a book and written notes on. He also took out his wand. In the dim light of just the moon and the stars, he read over the words on the crumply piece of paper before him. He pointed his wand at himself. With a shaky voice, he whispered, "_Avada Kedavra…_"

Nothing happened.

Scorpius swung his wand and mumbled the incantation again as he directed the tip towards his heart. "_Avada Kedavra_!" he sharply hissed. "_Avada Kedavra_!" He frantically searched over the paper, the instructions for the how the curse was performed, to find an answer as to what he was doing wrong. "_Avada_—"

"Freeze where you are,"

Scorpius gasped at the sudden voice that had spoken much above a whisper directly at him. He didn't move a muscle. Footsteps slowly made their way towards his place beneath the table. A pair of these feet stopped right in front of him. "Drop the wand," the deep male voice said. Scorpius was too afraid. Who was this? Who'd caught him? "I said drop the wand," the man said a little more firmly. His fingers let go of the wooden stick that barely even worked for him anyway, and he heard himself let out a pitiful little sob. The man crouched down slowly to pick it up. Scorpius found himself face-to-face with one of Hogwart's best teachers. "P-Professor Longbottom?" he stammered weakly. Neville Longbottom looked a little shocked to hold his wandlight up to the person's face and see Scorpius there. "Mr. Malfoy?" he asked with an equal amount of surprise in his tone. "Goodness, what are you doing? Come out here and tell me what you're doing!" he encouraged. Scorpius was so embarrassed and afraid and sad that he did as he was told without any hesitation. Neville still held his wand in his hand. "I-I…I-I'm sorry…." Scorpius whimpered over and over. "Mr. Malfoy, I'm not upset with you…I'm just a little confused about some things. Come here. Let's talk about this without getting mad, alright? First tell me, why were you using Dark magic in here all by yourself? Why at all?"

"I-I…I was upset…."

"You do understand that that particular curse is illegal. You could go to Azkaban for even attempting it!"

"I-I'm s-s-sorry!"

"Were you trying to kill the Snargaluffs? Or the Mimbulus over there? What were you aiming your curse at?"

"I-I…I-I…"

"Mr. Malfoy, please calm down. Please. Now tell me….where was our wand pointing when you were repeating this incantation?"

Scorpius moved his tearful eyes up to his favorite professor. He couldn't lie to this gentle man who he knew wasn't going to report him to the Minister of Magic and have him sent to Azkaban for his attempt of a Dark curse. With shaking fingers, he pointed directly at himself. Neville gasped. "Y-Yourself?" he asked softly, nervously adjusting his position on the floor.

"I'm fine, r-really….I just wanted t-to see how it w-worked…"

"If you were fine you wouldn't be trying to hurt yourself with the Killing Curse."

"I-I was upset…"

"Scorpius, you can't set a Dark curse upon yourself. They don't work that way. There's no way to cure yourself from one, nor set one upon yourself. What are…what were you thinking?"

"I-I w-wanted it all to end…I still do….I want all o-of this to be o-over…."

Neville watched as the little boy sobbed helplessly in front of him. He picked up the scrap of paper and tucked it in his pocket. "Come on," he murmured softly, moving to scoop Scorpius into his arms. "I'm going to take you to Madam Pomfrey. She'll get you feeling much better. You don't have to go to class for a few days while she talks to you and helps your poor little mind, alright?" Scorpius cried even harder. "No! Please don't take me! She'll want to fix me! She'll keep me here on earth when I don't want to be here anymore! I want to leave, Professor! Please, just let me go so I can be out of the way!" he shouted. Neville stood up with the child in his arms—he literally weighed almost nothing at all. The Herbology professor remained calm as he walked with Scorpius in his arms, taking in the boy's pleas and death wishes but not disregarding them. It pained him to hear such honest desire to die from a thirteen-year-old.

Once inside the hospital wing, Neville placed Scorpius in a bed under Madam Pomfrey's direction. She waved her wand to bind his wrists above his head, and another sweep left him still and breathing hard. "Where was he?" she asked as she surveyed the boy with her eyes. "In my greenhouse, under a table. He was trying to kill himself." Neville answered.

"With magic?"

"…No," He had to lie. If he told anyone about Scorpius's attempt at Dark Magic, the boy would be done for.

"Did he leave any marks or did you catch him in time?"

"I caught him in time. He told me he wanted to die before he…made the attempt." Neville touched the piece of paper in his pocket.

"Thank you, Professor Longbottom. I'll have his parents contacted and I'll see what I can do about his emotions. Thank heavens you were there to save him."

Neville took one last look at the little Malfoy boy before turning away and heading back towards his chambers.

**X x X**

Scorpius awoke to the sound of hurried footsteps approaching him from somewhere. Where was he? Where was his wand? Why was he only wearing his underwear in bed? He sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes. He was in a big room full of medical supplies. Was this the hospital wing? "Scorpius? Scorpius!" a frantic woman's voice called. The footsteps came closer. A tall blonde male and a very thin dark-haired woman literally ran towards his bed. They gathered him into a big hug together, murmuring kind things to him. "Mummy…Daddy…." Scorpius said. When he pulled back, he noticed something different about his mother. She wasn't wearing a normal dress, or even one of her normal nightgowns—this one was a long white one that was plain and cut off at her elbows. It went with the bracelet on her wrist. Suddenly, it clicked in Scorpius's mind. She must've been in St. Mungo's and Apparated to the grounds as soon as the school contacted her about her son. Draco looked panicked as he touched his face. "Are you alright, baby?" he asked. Scorpius nodded, turning his eyes to the ground. He couldn't look at them.

Suddenly, more footsteps came running into earshot. This person though was very loud as they shouted his name, and the person flung his body atop of Scorpius into a hug. "God, Scorpius!" Albus. It was Albus Severus Potter. He kissed the blonde boy's hallowed cheeks over and over. "You're so stupid! What were you thinking?! God, you had me worried sick! First you don't show up for class, then I hear about your incident—you're so stupid, Scorpius! You're so stupid!" he gasped out. Scorpius knew that his friend was only saying such things because he was distressed and didn't know what to do. He just accepted it by nodding and squeezing Albus's hand as he faced the friendship kisses. Albus didn't even seem to realize Draco and Astoria were standing right there as he wrapped his arms around his friend and just held him. Scorpius was crying again, looking at his parents and shaking his head in disappointment with himself.

Headmistress McGonagal swept into the hospital wing quickly to get to the bed of the small Malfoy. "Mister Potter!" she called. Albus sat up and wiped his face. "Professor Slughorn would like a word with you about bringing Mr. Malfoy his term paper. If you would, please?" she explained. Albus squeezed Scorpius's hand once more before leaving. She stopped at the bed of the completely emaciated boy. "Oh…dear…." she whispered. Astoria looked up through dark-circled eyes. "W-We…we're terrible parents…" she told the woman tearfully. McGonagal grabbed her hand. "No, no, my dear girl. You most certainly are not. I think I know what the problem here is, and it is not entirely the issue of your family-life." she said. Draco looked up at this, wanting to hear something, _anything_ that would assure him he hadn't failed as a father and pushed his son too far. "Once Professor Longbottom brought it to my attention that a second-year was attempting suicide on school grounds, I immediately launched an investigation throughout his friends and teachers. It has come to my attention that young Mr. Malfoy here is very unhappy—he's being brutally bullied by his peers in the Slytherin House, and the stress of maintaining control over his life has begun to weigh in on him. But that can be fixed, it can be fixed, my dear boy. Not to worry." she bustled, eager to get the good news out to the concerned parents. Astoria swayed a bit from lack of physical strength; Draco steadied her gently. "Headmistress," he addressed with a choked voice. "Is there anything I can do for him? Do you think he should stay home for a year and do his second year over again once he's ready? He was a premature baby, and I think I pushed him to do everything one step too early. And this is what I get." he admitted as he hugged his wife close to him. McGonagal patted his shoulder. "No, Mr. Malfoy, no. It's nothing you did wrong. Unfortunately, it's simply his peers and his circumstances. I understand that you can't help your illness, Mrs. Malfoy, but your son is constantly deeply concerned about you. And the harsh torment and criticisms from his peers are putting a tremendous amount of pressure on him—he simply doesn't want to fail anyone. So I've decided to fix the problem today."

"How will you do that?" Astoria asked as she wiped her eyes.

"We're going to have him re-Sorted for the first time in centuries."

Draco's eyes widened. In all the years of his life, he never ever heard of a re-Sorting. Especially in the middle of a year. "When I stood near him on his first day at Hogwarts," McGonagal explained. "The Sorting Hat was about to put him into a different House. But he requested that he follow his bloodline to Slytherin. He wanted to make everyone happy. So the Hat put him there, but I do believe it's time to break tradition a bit for a student who so desperately needs it." With a wave of her wand, the Sorting Hat appeared out of thin air. She murmured an unintelligible incantation to summon the powers of the magical object. Scorpius clung to his parents' hands as he recognized that he was upsetting even more traditions—not only at Hogwarts, but in his own family. McGonagal held the Hat over his head. "Are you ready, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked. Scorpius looked over at Draco and Astoria as they let go of his hands. The pair held each other, smiling at him. "We'll still love you no matter which House you're in, and that's a promise." Draco murmured to him. Astoria smiled weakly. Scorpius gave a nod.

The Hat fell onto his head.

After a moment of silence, the Sorting Hat bellowed, "Back again, are you? I feel as if I read you before. And you're no first year! Hmmm….still as difficult to place as ever. But Slytherin is not an option, considering you're moving away from it. Not a good fit? Well, I do believe we Sort too soon sometimes. But you…you have special qualities to you. You could go anywhere and be alright. As long as you recognize your own strengths. Slytherin too cunning for you? Not uncommon—you don't fit into your direct bloodline. No, you're a very special case. But our qualities….your bravery, your selflessness, your compassion, your desire to better others…you belong to where I first saw you fit…you belong in Gryffindor."

Scorpius felt his heart leap and sink all at once. His friends were in Gryffindor! But no Malfoy had ever been one—in fact, it was a rival. McGonagal's eyebrows popped up in surprise. "Goodness, what a jump!" she remarked. Draco reached across the bed to hold his son's bony hand. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered. "You're not a coward like me. You're brave at heart. I knew you would be. I just knew it." Scorpius felt tears sting his eyes at his father's admitting of cowardice. McGonagal told them that Scorpius was to stay in St. Mungo's until the end of the term (which was only about another two weeks or so), and that once he returned after the summer, he would be forever a Gryffindor—everything would be transferred over for him. She gave him a reassuring squeeze of the shoulder before taking the Sorting Hat and sweeping out of the room.

Astoria leaned over and laid in the bed with her son. "You're away from the bullies now," she whispered hoarsely. "You'll be safe in Gryffindor."

"Did they set me up? Headmistress McGonagal and the Sorting Hat?" Scorpius asked.

"No, not at all. You saw how surprised she was when it said Gryffindor. You were supposed to go there to begin with." Astoria answered. She hugged her baby. "I just don't want you to keep hurting yourself, alright?"

"We're going to get you lots of help. You'll stay at St. Mungo's for a little bit and then by next fall, you'll be as good as new." Draco assured lovingly. "Nobody's ashamed of you. You shouldn't hate yourself. We adore you so much." Scorpius closed his eyes as they hugged him. Everything remained silent for a long time, and eventually Astoria fell asleep comfortably with her two favorite people beside her sick body, making her curse lessen. "Daddy?" Scorpius whispered, breaking the silence. Draco looked up. "C-Can…Can I see your left forearm?" Draco inhaled deeply. How did Scorpius know? Why did he want to look? But the only way he was going to get better was if he learned the truth and came to accept it. "As long as you promise to not hate me, alright?" Draco weakly murmured. It sounded a lot worse than he'd planned. But Scorpius vowed he wouldn't think any less of his father for what happened in the past. Draco rolled up his sleeve.

On his pale skin, a gray oval was visible, like faded ink on clean white paper. If Scorpius looked closely, he could make out a faint line tracing a skull and body of a snake. But it was very, very light. No words were exchanged—just Scorpius fingering the strange spot over and over again. Draco let him take his time accepting this conclusion. "I'll tell you everything there is to tell once you get out of St. Mungo's, alright?" he said. Scorpius agreed. He closed his eyes as he continued running his fingertips over his father's warm skin, where the gray mark occupied his skin. He was accepting…slowly accepting everything there was to accept.

And it was already pretty difficult.


	10. Summer Break Before Year 3

**This is an in-between sort of chapter; between Scorpius's second and third year. It's summer! I hope this clarifies things and moves the story along. Please enjoy!**

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Scorpius opened his eyes slowly, straining against the morning light. He turned over onto his side and snuggled his pillow. How good it felt to just be home. He never thought he'd have missed it this much—but with all the turmoil and mental distress of his second year at Hogwarts, he definitely didn't mind being back in solitude. A soft clicking sound came from his window. Scorpius moved his dark-circled eyes upward to see what was making such a noise. His gray barn owl tapped its beak on the glass, a letter tied to its foot. Scorpius pulled himself out of bed with great effort (even though things were beginning to be normal again, he still was working through his depression) and let the creature in. After taking the letter, he spread some corn kernels atop his dresser for the owl to snack on. Scorpius recognized the messy, disorganized handwriting.

_Dear Scorpius,_

_You're out of St. Mungo's now, right? How are things going? Just wanted to check in on you. It's been a while since we've talked! Listen, if you ever need anything, like if you have something you want to talk about in private with someone who isn't a family member, then just please let me know. I'm always here for you. Can't wait to see you in the fall or even sooner if possible! Just to think—we'll be dorm mates! Love you, Scorpius._

_~Albus S. Potter_

Scorpius smiled internally as he read his friend's letter. Albus was his best friend in the world, and he was always determined to show Scorpius just how much he was enjoyed by others. The two were practically brothers. He felt like the whole experience of being suicidal and attempting to kill himself brought them closer, but of course that came with a personal price. Scorpius was still miserable. He was getting better, but the eating hadn't fixed itself yet, and that made him cranky, tired, and downright boring. Talking to Albus and planning his letters gave him hope and raised his spirits a bit through his gray days.

Scorpius decided after a while to head out of his bedroom. He slipped off the bed and opened his door quietly, immediately noticing that voices were coming from down the hall in the dining room. He followed the sounds. Sure enough, Draco, Astoria, and his aunt Daphne were seated around the table, each with a cup of tea in their hands. The conversation seemed tense and unnerving. Without a word, Scorpius walked over and crawled onto Draco's lap like a child, as he usually did in the mornings. "Good morning, my sweetheart." Astoria greeted across the table warmly. Draco snuggled his son in his arms. "How's my little one doing this morning?" he whispered. Scorpius shrugged. He leaned his head against his father's chest and offered Aunt Daphne a wave. He wasn't thrilled to know that he'd have an audience to witness his daily struggle through eating breakfast. Draco kissed the boy's thin blonde hair and summoned a piece of toast towards his plate. "How about something to eat, love?" he suggested as usual. Scorpius turned his face away from his father's coaxing hand, burying it into his shoulder. Astoria and Daphne continued whispering about something to themselves.

After a long time and several urges, Scorpius finally accepted the toast. Draco covered it in lots of butter and offered to dress it with some strawberry jam. Scorpius begrudgingly ate it, resisting the push from his stomach to throw it up. Draco never once missed a quiet opportunity to tell his son what a good job he was doing, and that he was getting better every day—and how proud he felt of him. Scorpius didn't really say much. He just ate the toast slowly and unwillingly, occasionally leaning closer to Draco in an attempt to tell him that he really appreciated his father's support. Once he finished the toast, Draco rubbed his stomach gently to ease the pain and turbulence it plagued Scorpius with after eating. "Darling," Astoria murmured to her son. She glanced at her sister. "We have news for you. A few things. Would you like to hear it?" Both Malfoy parents talked carefully to him in order to defer his feelings of disappointment with himself. They didn't want him to think he was being patronized or scolded for anything. Scorpius nodded and sat up a bit. "First of all," she went on. "Mr. Harry Potter and Mrs. Ginny Potter sent a letter last night. They asked if maybe you'd like to have a playdate—goodness, what am I saying? You're not a baby anymore. I guess I should say they asked if you'd like to hang out with Albus sometime this summer. He's been concerned about you, and wants to tell you everything about the end of term. Would you like me to write back to them?" she asked. Scorpius nodded. He cleared his throat. "A-Albus sent me a letter this morning. He wanted to check in on me. I wouldn't mind meeting him sometime this summer, but can it not be right away? I sort of want to be…fixed…before any of my friends see me like this. You know, I mean at this weight." he answered, lowering his eyes to the table. Astoria nodded. "Of course, darling. I'll let them know you two are in touch." she said.

Aunt Daphne put her hand on her stomach. She glanced at her sister, giving a nod. She then looked to her brother-in-law and bit her lip. "There's a second thing, Scorpius." she said in her clear voice. Astoria reached over and took her hand. "Y-You're…you're going to have a cousin soon." Daphne said aloud. Scorpius sat up straighter in his father's arms. "Really?" he asked. "A cousin? W-Will it be a boy or a girl?"

"We don't know yet. We're going to keep it a surprise until birth—no one will know the gender until it comes out."

"How far along are you, Aunt Daphne?"

"…About four months now."

"This is very exciting! Congratulations! I didn't even know you had gotten married!"

Daphne turned her head to look at Astoria again, but this time, Astoria had moved her eyes towards the kitchen. "That's what we need to talk about," Draco said softly. "I'm not married, Scorpius." Daphne said boldly. "You know Theodore? The man I've been seeing? He's the father of my baby, but we're just not husband and wife yet. It's coming though. We're engaged now." Scorpius looked a little confused. "So…you're going to get married while you're pregnant?" he asked. She nodded. "That's why I'm here, darling. You see, only you and your mum and dad know. Nana doesn't, neither does Papa; your grandmother and grandfather don't either. So, since you're turning fourteen this year, I thought you might be able to keep a secret too. Can you do this for me?" she begged him. Scorpius felt as if someone dropped another weight onto his back. "Of course, Aunt Daphne." he murmured, earning a pat on the shoulder from his father. She half-smiled. "Thank you. That's why I'm here. Your mum and I are going wedding dress shopping today. Would you like to come?" Scorpius scowled and tucked up closer to Draco. She laughed. "I didn't think so," Astoria finally looked back at the table. "It's not going to be easy nor fun looking for a wedding dress that will fit a pregnant woman." she remarked. Scorpius almost sensed a little bitterness in her tone. Why? "Trust me, sister, I know that. I have to rethink my dream dress now that I'm trying to hide the bump—"

"Aunt Daphne, did you plan for this baby to happen, or was it an accident?"

Nobody could believe that Scorpius had formulated such a probing question out of nowhere. But there he was, sitting on the edge of his father's lap, keeping a keen focus on her. She stared back for a moment. The silence was deafening. "Of course we planned to have a child one day. Theo is the love of my life. We always wanted to spend eternity together." she replied. Draco eyed her. Scorpius nodded and went back to snuggling close to his father. The rest of breakfast was abandoned as Astoria hurried her sister out so they go head to Madam Malkin's and begin the day of dress-shopping.

Once the women were gone, Draco lifted his son and carried him back into his room. "I can tell that you're tired. All that time of missing sleep at school is catching up to you—you need to rest and get back to good health. Your body needs it desperately." he said as he tucked the blankets up to his son's chin. Scorpius was quiet. Finally, he spoke up. "Did she really plan to have that baby?" Draco avoided eye contact, but sank down onto the bed beside him. "No, darling. She tried to make it sound like she did, but she's a Slytherin—she twisted the phrasing and made it sound different. She said that they'd hoped to have a child one day; that doesn't mean right away. But that doesn't mean she won't be a good mother. I think she'll be wonderful. Just as amazing as Mummy was. But I do believe that these secrets are going to catch up to her eventually." he explained. Scorpius nodded. "Daddy?" he asked. "Are all Slytherins bad?"

"All Slytherins? No, absolutely not. All Gryffindors aren't heroes. All Ravenclaws aren't painters. And all Hufflepuffs aren't good finders. Sometimes all that segregation produces false pretenses that don't seem to die out. Lots of Slytherins are very good. My godfather was a Slytherin, and he was incredibly brave—he worked for the Order of the Phoenix and the Dark Lord at the very same time and didn't get caught. He saved Harry Potter. And he was in Slytherin."

"Joseph Zabini always told me you were a cowardly Slytherin."

"Listen, my baby. Joseph's father and I were best friends in school. And his mother and I…well, we experimented with dating a bit in our day. She clung on a little too tight when I needed space, and she still sort of resents my choosing to break up with her to this day. His aggression could very well just be stemming from his father's jokes and his mother's bitterness. He probably doesn't know the difference. So he takes it out on you."

"…I never thought you were cowardly."

"I was, at one time. But it was hard for even me to understand. And that's why things went the way they did. But everything's ok now—Mr. Harry Potter and I are working on being friends. Even Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are giving acquaintanceship a try. Although it's a bit harder with Mr. Weasley, but he's always been difficult…"

"So…I'm not a bad Slytherin for defecting?"

"Of course not, darling. And you didn't defect—you just need to find yourself. It's not your fault. Because you were born early, things are just always going to take a little bit more time with you. That's alright. You have a patient family and very patient friends that are going to help you. You're so strong, Scorpius. And that's why your true House is Gryffindor."

"But I thought you said all Gryffindors aren't heroes,"

"That's very true, trust me. But you're only a bad person if you let yourself be one, and that doesn't matter which House you're in. I knew a bad Hufflepuff once. Remember that secret army Harry Potter created that I told you about?"

"Dumbledore's Army,"

"That's right, Dumbledore's Army. Well, she was sworn to secrecy, but she betrayed them and told Professor Umbridge. She wasn't good, but she wasn't in Slytherin. And then there was Sirius Black—he wasn't necessarily _bad_, but he broke out of Azkaban, which was definitely a feat for anyone at the time. Guess what house he was in? Gryffindor. In fact, Albus's grandfather was very mean to my godfather at school; of course it was all boyish teasing, but he was a Gryffindor. Nobody's entirely bad, Scorpius. And a House doesn't define everyone's limits."

"I understand,"

"You're so smart. I'm proud of you for just being Scorpius."

Draco bent down and kissed his son's forehead. He could see every vein along the child's temple as a result from his lack of body fat. "Now you get some sleep, alright? I'll be in with lunch in a few hours." he reported. Scorpius groaned at the mention on more food. Draco smiled; his son's stubbornness was really beginning to show, but it always made him smile. As he was leaving, he glanced back at the boy who was snuggled deep under the covers. "Sleep well, my little Gryffindor." he whispered. Draco Malfoy never expected to have a son break so many traditions. Draco Malfoy never _ever_ expected to be proud to tell everyone that his son was a Gryffindor.


	11. Year 3: Early September

**Next chapter, coming right up! I just want to thank you all for everything you've left for me in the reviews section. You really make me want to keep going! I seriously take everything you say to heart and it makes me happy to hear that my readers are enjoying what I'm creating for them. On that note, please enjoy a peek into Scorpius's first night in Gryffindor! :)**

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Albus grasped one of Scorpius's hands, while James clung to the other and Rose pushed him from behind. "Come on! Come on! Hurry up, won't you?!" the third-year shouted. Rose snorted from behind them. "He's just nervous. Although he has no rational reason to be. We're his friends, and we'll get him there just fine!" she said. "Hey!" a panting voice yelled from way back by one of the pillars. "Mummy said that you two were going to help us!" Lily Luna Potter argued, crossing her arms over her chest. Hugo Weasley followed suit. "Yeah! Dad told me that my two cousins would always be there for me!" James rolled his eyes and flicked his wand backwards at them, sending their trunks into the air to follow them as they all hurried up to Gryffindor tower.

Scorpius hesitated in front of a huge portrait of a rather large woman. "Uh-uh, no no no, Mr. Slytherin. Only Gryffindors are allowed in here! We haven't had an intruder for three centuries, and I intend to keep it that way." she huffed, putting her nose up. Rose elbowed her way to the front. "He's not a Slytherin anymore. He's been placed in Gryffindor now." she said in a disgruntled tone. The woman gasped and leaned forward in her frame, so close that only her face was visible. "You?" she whispered as if hearing an age-old secret recipe for pumpkin pie. "You're the boy? The one that's been re-Sorted? Goodness…oh my….but you certainly don't look brave. Are you sure you're supposed to be here? Why not have a hand at Hufflepuff—they'd be happy to accept some new members, I'm sure." James looked up now, through his longer dark hair. "The bravery is in his heart, as it is for every true Gryffindor. Now would you let us pass already?"

"Without a password, you're going nowhere." she haughtily replied. "Oh, come on! Why are you being so pesky all of a sudden?" Rose blurted. "I'm just showing the little first-years here and the…new one…what happens when you don't have a password—you get stuck out here talking to me!" she laughed. Scorpius looked at Albus out of the corner of his eye. The dark-haired boy patted his shoulder. "Goodness, goodness me! Why on earth are you depriving these poor little children of a comfortable bed?" a voice from the staircases said. The group whirled around to see Nearly Headless Nick floating up to the portrait. "Here, my fellow Gryffindors. The password is 'Nimble Toes'. Don't forget it—you'll need it for the rest of the term!" he cheerfully reminded. "Thank, Nick." James said, smiling. Grumbling something about a blasted ghost being nothing but a fun-spoiler, the woman swung her portrait open to allow for the children to climb through to the commonroom.

Scorpius looked around in awe at the red and gold coloration. "Well?" Albus said, jumping forward to spread his arms out. "What do you think?" Scorpius was at a loss for words. Everything just seemed so comfortable and friendly…so confident…. "It's so warm…" he murmured. He was referring to the colors, the closeness of the commonroom, the comfort of the fireplace, and the softness of all the sofas. But apparently the others didn't think that deep. Rose, James, and Albus burst into laughter. "Warm?!" Rose cackled. "He makes the biggest and only jump in Hogwarts history, only to get into his new commonroom and describe it as _'warm'?!_" Lily rolled her eyes and crossed her arms again. "Give him a break, will you? It's technically like he's a first-year. Would you laugh at a first-year like that?" she snapped. Everyone stopped laughing to glance at the real first-years, only to find Hugo drooling and staring at everything with round eyeballs. The laughter erupted again, but this time not at Scorpius, which he was very thankful for.

The six settled down on some chairs before the fireplace, enjoying the heat and the company of each other. With James Potter being a newly named prefect, they were able to get into the commonroom before all the other first-years crowded in. "Did your mum and dad get you different clothes, Scorpius?" James asked. The blonde boy nodded. "They got me new robes for class. And a few new shirts for weekends—ones that have the Gryffindor lion on them." he answered. The fifth-year Potter gave him a sad smile. "How about for pajamas, though? You can't go to sleep wearing Slytherin pants, that's for sure. You'll get mauled. How about you take some of my old sleep pants—I got too tall for them anyway. When we go up to bed, come by my trunk and I'll give them to you." Scorpius suddenly looked a little taken aback. "Oh no, James, I could never! Albus is supposed to take those!" he said, trying to be polite. Albus snorted. "Mum forgot about that and bought me new ones anyway. Just take them, Scorpius. No use saving them for anything—Lily can't wear 'em." he joked. Scorpius turned slightly pink and thanked James for his generosity. He felt a little bad for already being unprepared for his new lifestyle, and that his friends were once again picking him up. His spirits were raised a bit though when James clapped him on the back and invited him to go up to the boys' dormitories. Hugo, Albus, James, and Scorpius bid goodnight to Lily and Rose and together headed up to their rooms.

It had gotten late from the time they sat down to chat in the commonroom, so many Gryffindor boys were already by their beds changing into their pajama. When Scorpius entered, an eerie hush fell. It wasn't unusual for him—he'd had the same effect in Slytherin just a few years ago, but that was due to his last name. Apparently this was a combination of a few things. "That's the one I was telling you about," Smith whispered to his friend beside him. Albus gently tugged the small boy over to an empty four-poster that had his trunk beside it. "This one's yours now. Don't worry—mine's right next to it. Right there. You ever need anything, you just rustle my curtains, ok?" he assured. Scorpius nodded.

"Hey! No _snakes_ allowed in here!"

Scorpius and Albus turned to see who'd said such a thing. Dover Finch-Fletchey stood with his hands on his hips, staring at the blonde with anger etched across his face. James stepped in front of his younger brother and his friend. "Watch your attitude, Finch-Fletchey." he snarled. The boy tossed his head. "Are you going to do something about it, Potter? Tell me to stop?" he mocked. "No, I'm simply going to remind you that I'm a prefect, and that if I have to take points away from my own House, I have the liberty and authority to let everyone know exactly who caused the deduction." James said. Some of the boys nearby pretended to busy themselves with folding clothes or sorting through their trunks. Finch-Fletchey seemed to back down a little. But he did give Scorpius one last crease of his eyebrows before turning away to climb into bed. James eyed everyone around them. He faced the boys behind him. "I'm on the second-floor of the dormitory. I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow, and be sure to let me know if anything needs…seeing to. Goodnight, Albus. 'Night Scorpius." he said, giving them a pat on the head each.

Scorpius slipped the pajama pants from his friend on (they proved to be quite a bit roomy, and rather long, but that was mostly due to his small body weight and premature physique) and climbed into his bed. He swung his wand twice, murmuring "_Muffliato,_" softly to prevent anyone from being awakened if he happened to have a nightmare. Scorpius pulled out a piece of parchment and his quill, beginning his usual letter to his parents.

_Dear Mummy and Daddy,_

_I really, really like Gryffindor so far. You should see the commonroom—everything is so warm! I think Slytherin always felt cold because green is a cold color, and it was in the dungeons beneath the lake. But here in Gryffindor, we're up in the clouds and the fireplace keeps everything glittering! James and Albus are doing a great job of taking care of me. I know it's not their job, and I've tried to tell them that (believe me, I kept reminding them throughout the entire train ride) but they insist that I be watched and protected. Nobody can believe I'm here. Neither can I, really. I wonder what the Slytherins will say in class tomorrow. Don't worry, Daddy, I'm ready to hear the mean things. You were right though—the Gryffindors aren't all nice and cheery. I can silence a room just by walking into it. I'm ready for this, and I'm strong. I believe it. I ate a chicken wing and two forkfuls of mashed potatoes at dinner tonight. I know you asked me to tell you everything I eat, Mummy, so I figured I'd start today. How is Aunt Daphne doing? And my baby cousin? When will he/she get here? I miss you both, but I feel like I'm doing a bit better now at the start of this year. Thank you for all you've done for me. Please give Scruffy a hug for me!_

_I'll love you forever,_

_Scorpius_


	12. Year 3: mid-January

**This one has a bit of everything in it - love, hate, humor, tension, pride, etc. Thank you all so so so much for reviewing! I LOVE hearing what you are thinking as you read. It helps me gauge how effective my chapters are on my readers, and trust me, I really factor that in when I'm writing! I hope you like this chapter.**

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The time flew fast for little Scorpius, and before he knew it, the holidays had come and gone. Being in Gryffindor House felt like a subtle (yet much better) fit for him. He enjoyed the company of his friends, his grades went back to soaring high again, and his general liking of Hogwarts increased. He even beat Rose on four tests in a row. Scorpius Malfoy also became the highest-ranked student of his year in two classes: Potions and Charms.

But unfortunately, as good as things were for him academically, his sociality was not quite so stellar. Sure he had Rose, Lorcan, Lysander, James, and Albus. The other students regarded him with avoidance and often a little disdain though. He'd broken age-old tradition, something that even Professor Binns (yes, he was actually still living and teaching, at that) commented on briefly in his classes. Even the Gryffindors felt a little cheated by his switch. Once or twice, he'd be doing his homework in the commonroom and hear someone say, "He shouldn't be here anyway. Godric Gryffindor established his House as the bravest of the brave—why should someone use it as their escape? Pretty cowardly, if you ask me." There was a time in particular when he was leaving Transfiguration class and a red-shirted girl shoved him a little too forcefully to be accidental, muttering, "Go back to the dungeons, you little snake." Scorpius felt incredibly hurt by the insults his own Housemates. But every day, his father would write to him a reminder that encouraged him to look at the good things—he told his son to count more positive experiences than negative.

Scorpius timidly knocked on the office door of Professor Longbottom, shivering form both nerves and the frigid wintertime air. He pulled his red-and-gold scarf around him tighter. A tall man swung the door open, wearing a soft smile when he saw it was one of his students. "Mr. Malfoy," he addressed. "Won't you come inside? It's rather chilly out there for a little guy like you." Scorpius couldn't use his voice—all he kept thinking about was the last time he and this teacher had been alone together: the time he attempted suicide. He entered the small office hesitantly. It was very warm inside; there were some small decorations on shelves above the desk—one caught Scorpius's eye. A beautiful ruby-encrusted sword hung in a clear box. Professor Longbottom caught him staring. He gave a small chuckle as he walked over to the glass case and took it out. "It's the sword of Godric Gryffindor," he explained to the awestruck little boy. "His last relic. I had to use it to prove my bravery when I was fighting alongside Mr. Harry Potter a bit over twenty years ago. Do you know what this did?"

"Killed the snake,"

"Yeah, that's right. Voldemort's snake. I had to kill it in order to help Harry survive the battle. Know why?"

"Because it was a Horcrux."

"I'm very impressed, Mr. Malfoy. You certainly seem more prepared for learning here at Hogwarts now."

"Daddy—er, Father, and I talked a lot over the summer. He told me about all that stuff because I found out about his Dark Mark—it's just a gray blur on his skin now, but hearing about all that made me really interested in the actual big picture of it."

Professor Longbottom offered Scorpius a chair, and once he was seated, he put the heavy sword onto the tiny lap. Scorpius seemed hesitant to even touch the glittering object, but Neville didn't mind him taking his time. "Scorpius," he whispered. "You're in the House of the brave now. I know what the Sorting Hat told you—that your brave is on the inside. And I also know what the kids are saying behind your back. Just…just please know that for eighteen years of my life, I was a complete nobody who didn't even feel worthy enough to stand in the same room as Harry Potter, much less be part of his inner circle. I was nothing but a klutz my first few years here. Believe me, I had a Rememberall to prove it! Do you understand what I'm trying to say? Being brave doesn't necessarily mean being tough; it's all endurance and inner strength. I just want you to know that you don't ever have to feel like you're less of a person or that you don't belong here because you haven't had your chance to shine yet. But believe me, when you do, no one will ever forget the name 'Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy'." he said gently. The little blonde boy held back his tears. He gave his professor an eager nod, but avoided eye contact. Neville gave him a few more minutes of silence with the sword before putting it back in its special case.

He went around and sat across from Scorpius at the desk, pretending to shuffle papers while the boy dried his eyes. "Did you need to speak with me about something, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked to diverge from the subject. Scorpius nodded again. "Yes, sir. I just thought it would be wise to let you know that I won't be in class this Friday. My Aunt Daphne is getting married, and Mummy—er, Mother, wants me home for it. I apologize for missing your class, sir." he said, feeling a little small. Professor Longbottom smiled softly at him. "Nothing to fear, Mr. Malfoy. Congratulations to your aunt. Friday is just another workday on the cultures of Gillyweed, so as long as you copy the notes from a friend, you won't be missing too much." he answered. Scorpius thanked his teacher and rose to leave. Just before he opened the door, he heard him speak one more time. "I'm really glad that I'm Gryffindor's Head of House, because I enjoy encouraging my students like you, Mr. Malfoy. And I know for a fact that your father is very, very proud of you for doing all you have. The inner strength is there. All you need now is the opportunity." he said, a smile clearly evident behind his voice. Scorpius felt himself grinning too without even perceiving it. "Thank you so much, Professor." he whispered.

Sitting through that long wedding ceremony was only a bit difficult for Scorpius, because he kept getting an uncomfortable vibe from his mother beside him the whole time. She seemed a little fidgety, a bit restless every time she looked at her sister. Aunt Daphne did look beautiful—Scorpius could hardly tell that there was a pregnant belly under all the ruffles and lace and swoops of the gown she was wearing. Apparently neither could Mrs. Greengrass because she sobbed the whole ceremony. Draco mainly kept quiet and watched politely. Scorpius recalled how his father had told him that nowadays, the best thing for him to do was be a respectful wallflower and not draw attention to himself if he didn't want the accusations and such again. Scorpius admired that about his father—how he'd carried on, but did his part to make things better. He decided he really did want to be like his daddy after all.

The reception was fun for Scorpius. There were lots of smiling people, music, dancing, hugging. Astoria was vital in this kind of environment. She romantically followed her husband's footsteps during the couples' numbers, but when it was time to be lively, she brought Scorpius onto the floor with her, had him stand on her toes, and moved her feet so that it looked like he was dancing in perfect harmony with her. He only had a slight trouble when dinner came around—he ate a bit more than he could handle (as a result of Mrs. Greengrass's pushing) and had to run to the restroom to throw up. Draco went in with him to calm his little boy. After apologizing profusely and finally accepting his father's urging to not to sorry for how he was, the pair decided that Scorpius didn't have to have any wedding cake not matter how hard his Nana pushed him to.

During the toast, Narcissa kept glancing at Astoria. Daphne stood up to speak. "Thank you to everyone for coming tonight," she began. Scorpius noticed that Narcissa had wrapped her hand around Astoria's wrist, giving it a gentle squeeze. Apparently, she knew too. "Theo and I have an announcement we'd like to make so that we can now celebrate two wonderful occasions in one night." Daphne went on. A hush filled the room. "What we'd like to say is…er…we're expecting a little baby boy!" Nobody moved. Scorpius glanced over at his Nana; she was absolutely frozen in her seat, jaw clenched tightly. Uncle Bazel had his eyebrows raised in surprise. Astoria put her forehead in her hand. "Just tell me when she explodes," she whispered quickly to Narcissa, referring to her tightly-strung pureblood mother. Narcissa stroked her hand with her thumb gently. "It's alright so far, dear. No one's doing anyth—" But as soon as she said it, the sound of shattering glass reverberated through the hall. Mrs. Greengrass had launched a champagne glass across the open dance floor. Draco suddenly made a grab for Scorpius, lifting him easily out of his chair. "I'm going to take him outside for some fresh air before the Second Greengrass War breaks out." he murmured to Lucius, who nodded approvingly. "Take me with you…" he joked. Scorpius followed his father out of the building quickly. As he glanced behind him, he saw his Nana standing up and shouting something, then his Papa yelling something different, and soon everything was out of balance.

Draco led Scorpius to a nice little garden outside and sat him on a stone bench. "Sorry, baby. It gets a little messy with them sometimes." he said, turning slightly red. The fourteen-year-old shook his head. "It's ok, Daddy. I understand that you probably don't want me getting involved. Aren't the Greengrasses the fun side of the family though?" he asked innocently, earning a chuckle from his father.

"Indeed, they are. My family's either dead or…well…Grandmother and Grandfather."

"The Greengrasses were having such a good time; they were all drinking, eating, laughing—why did everyone get so mad?"

"You see, it's this concept called 'the Matriarch of the family'. It's when a woman, like Nana, sort of…rules the roost, if you will. So if the Matriarch is having a good time, everyone else is too. But if the Matriarch is upset, everyone must not anger her further."

"So Nana's the Matriarch of the Greengrass family?"

"Indeed,"

"Is Grandmother the Matriarch of the Malfoy family?"

"That's difficult to say. When I was your age, Grandfather had complete control of the house. But when Mummy came along, she helped fix their relationship, then Nana taught Grandmother how to be a Matriarch. I guess you could say that Grandmother and Grandfather split royal oversight."

"I think it works well though,"

"It does, Scorpius. It does."

Draco looked down at his son, smiling gently. The littler blonde glanced up at him, flashed a grin, and scooted over so that he was on his lap. Draco laughed now and pulled him into a big hug. "I love you, my little prince." he murmured. "You know, when Mr. Harry Potter and his friends didn't like me, a lot of people gave me the name 'the Slytherin prince'. I didn't mind it. It was better than what I was called later in my time at Hogwarts. But I think I could give you a title too, would you like that? You're my Gryffindor prince." Scorpius giggled and hugged him tighter. He liked the sound of that; it boosted his self-confidence a bit. Draco sighed into his soft hair. "I'm just so proud of you…"

The moment would've been peaceful and tender, had Mrs. Greengrass's shouting voice not penetrated the doors and reverberated through the gardens.


	13. Year 3: Early February

**I'm super glad and happy and relieved that you all are liking this still! It's been quite a journey for Scorpius, and he's still got a ways to go. Hopefully this chapter helps him along! I hope you like it!**

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Scorpius added one final sentence to his Transfiguration essay before happily rolling up his parchment and sticking it in his bookbag. "Bloody heck, Scorpius, don't tell me you're already done with your homework for the weekened!" Albus said from across the commonroom. Scorpius blushed a bit. "N-No, that was the essay that's due next Tuesday. I was just getting ahead." he informed. Rose raised an eyebrow. "So…?" she egged on. The blonde boy blushed some more. "So that means I'm done with my homework for the weekend and all of next week too." he finished, earning a frustrated sigh from Albus. "How can you do that? How can you sit down and just decide that you're going to do all of your homework for the rest of your life in one night? Every time I try, I fall asleep, I get distracted, I doodle, I talk…and then I realize as I'm walking to class the next day that I didn't finish my essay that's due and I write it in ten seconds before the professor collects it!" he said. Rose shifted in her chair. "And that's also why Scorpius and I are the top two in our year, and you're lightyears away from reaching that." she calmly answered.

Albus plopped down on the sofa beside his new Gryffindor friend. "I meant to ask you—how was your aunt's wedding? I was going to say something sooner, but with the final Quidditch game of the year coming up and all the practices and stuff, it kept slipping my mind." he asked him. Scorpius smiled. "I really liked it. Everyone got together and we celebrated a wonderful bonding. It would've been perfect…if Nana hadn't thrown a champagne glass at Uncle Theo…" the boy said.

"Threw a champagne glass?! Whoa, what happened?!"

"Aunt Daphne announced that she was six months pregnant, and Nana didn't like that she was having a baby before getting formally married. So she threw the glass at him for doing that, even though it wasn't technically all his fault, and she was screaming stuff and getting mad."

"What did your parents do?"

"Mummy just put her head in her hands. Grandmother kept saying nice things to her, because Nana started shouting that Mummy knew and didn't tell, that she'd broken pureblood custom of anti-secrecy. Grandfather was attempting to keep himself from exploding—he doesn't like when Nana yells at his daughter-in-law. But Daddy took me for a walk in the gardens so I wouldn't have to get involved. It was very peaceful being with him, and he told me lots of stuff that sort of made me feel a little less burdened. When we went back in, Nana had gone from screaming at Aunt Daphne to screaming at Papa—apparently he'd told her to stop ruining the wedding. So Aunt Daphne cried and Uncle Theo yelled back, Nana and Papa were at war, Mummy was a thousand percent done with the fighting, and someone made Nana's cake explode on her plate."

"Your relatives like to break things, huh?"

"Apparently they do. I didn't know that, because I'd never actually met any of them outside my immediate circle. Personally, I think it was Grandfather. He wasn't so angry anymore, and he actually sat there with a smug little grin on his face as everyone tried to figure out why the slice had swelled and exploded everywhere. I bet he did it with his wand under the table."

"So how did it all end?"

"I'm not quite entirely sure that it did. Nana had to be escorted out, and Aunt Daphne went and cried in the bathroom. The dancing and stuff resumed but everyone sort of seemed on edge. Daddy wrote me today. He told me that Nana is still upset at Uncle Theo."

Rose's eyes were as wide as saucers, her jaw firmly set. "What a charming family," she said pointedly. Albus stuck his tongue out at her. "Every family's got 'em. The loonies, I mean. We have Aunt Fleur—she's not crazy, but you know how she constantly obsesses about Victoire even though she's practically a woman now, and I remember a certain little redheaded girl that used to cry over being fussed about so much because she wouldn't eat her vegetables…" he taunted. Rose reddened deeply. She stood up from her chair. "I'm going to bed now. Good luck tomorrow night, Albus, if I don't see you before then. Unlike _you_, I'll be doing my classwork diligently and earning a good grade." she bit, turning on heel and walking out of the commonroom towards the girls' dormitories. Albus laughed with a wave of his hand. "You going to be there tomorrow night, Scorpius? It's the last big Quidditch game of the year! We're playing Ravenclaw," he announced. Scorpius nodded eagerly. "I can't wait. I've never actually been to a Quidditch match, and rooting for a different team sort of encourages me to go. Will you still play Seeker?" he answered. Albus nodded. "Can't wait to see you there. I'll be sure to wave from my broom as I'm catching the Snitch. Watch for me! I'm going to head to bed now so I'm not tired. You coming too?" Scorpius followed him to their beds.

The next evening, Scorpius followed Rose, Lily, and Hugo to the Gryffindor seating section of the Quidditch pitch, where he was welcomed by a few whispers and pointing fingers. "Can you see from this seat, Scorpius?" Rose asked, pulling his attention away from a few sixth-years that were glancing uncomfortably at him. He craned his neck to see over the tall person in front of him. "I can see," he replied. Lily leaned back in her seat, beginning to unwrap a chocolate frog she'd brought from her room. "Hey! Where'd you get that?" Hugo asked her. "Dad sent it to me. I saved it specially for this match, as I'm quite an important spectator." she casually responded. Hugo reached towards her. "Share!" he demanded. Sighing, she split the chocolate in half to give to her cousin. The match began. As Regie Wallis started his commentary, the three redheads and the blonde cheered loudly when the names James Potter and Albus Potter were announced. Albus gave them all a thumbs-up. The moment the whistled was blown, both the Ravenclaws and the Gryffindors were up in the air, all fighting against Bludgers and wind and doing everything they could to protect the Quaffle from flying through the opposing goalpost.

Even though she would never admit it, Rose was on the edge of her seat throughout the entire match. Scorpius was eager for a win too—even though it had been his dream to play on a team, his parents promised him that they would not be upset if he just waited a few years to try out again. So winning now meant everything to him. He only wanted to play with the best. About halfway through the match, Scorpius heard his name being shouted. He looked around for the source. Two Hufflepuffs, three Ravenclaws, three Gryffindors, and four Slytherins were standing not too far from where he was sitting, in one of the stair walkways. One of them was Joseph Zabini. A Hufflepuff girl reached beneath her robes and pulled out a clear box. She lifted a long, slithering snake out. Zabini took the snake into his hands. He held it by the tail, nudging a Ravenclaw boy, who pulled a pair of scissors out of his sleeve. Scorpius paled. Why couldn't he look away? "Want some chocolate frog?" Lily asked him innocently—she didn't know what was going on. He shook his head, wanting her to just get that piece of food away from him before he got sick all over again. A Gryffindor boy took hold of the scissors while the Ravenclaw pulled the snake straight. "Get out of our House, you little snake!" the Gryffindor boy shouted. Zabini smirked. Scorpius gripped his seat when the red-and-gold boy positioned the scissors about the snake's head…

_Wssssshhhhhhk!_

Scorpius's eyes rolled back into his head and his entire body went limp. "Scorpius?!" Hugo shouted above the cheering Gryffindor section—apparently James had just scored a goal. A screaming, shrieking girl's voice pierced what little hearing the boy had left. He could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness quickly. Hands gripped his shoulders; he was pulled into a tight hug. Scorpius slightly opened his eyes in an attempt to stay awake—he couldn't look weak anymore. But the red hair he'd expected to see strung across his face was exactly the opposite. Instead, it was dark brown. "I'm sorry!" he heard the girl wailing. "I'm sorry, Scorpius!" This definitely wasn't Rose. He looked around through heavy-lidded eyes and saw the feisty redhead repeatedly punching and smacking a big tanned boy, who was laughing as he held the bloody snake body above his head and threatening to get her 'pretty little dress dirty'. Rose was relentless. She kicked, scratched, hit, screamed, everything. But who was this person that was hugging him so desperately? "I've failed you! I'm sorry I listened to them! I-I made a mistake! I'm sorry, Scorpius! I'm sorry!" she sobbed. Six teachers had to pull Rose away from Zabini—one confiscated the scissors, the body, the head. Another lead all twelve students away from the Quidditch pitch forcefully. "Scorpius, Scorpius talk to me. Tell me you can hear me. Please, Scorpius, just say something to let us know you're there!" the girl begged. Suddenly, he realized.

"C-C-C…Chri…ssy?"

The girl hugged him even tighter. "Yes! That's very good! Good, Scorpius, just stay with me, alright? The teachers are coming to get you. Just stay awake, ok? Keep talking to me! Keep saying my name!" she cried out. "C-Chrissy…" he whispered, more to himself than to her. She'd apologized. She'd come to his aid first. She admitted her faults. Professor Longbottom and Madam Pomfrey hurried up to Scorpius's seat, gently taking him in their arms. "Can you hear me, Mr. Malfoy?" the nurse asked. He nodded slightly. He was beginning to feel a little less lightheaded, which was good, but he knew if he sat up he'd have to face the Gryffindors behind him. Did they have the same sentiments regarding him as Zabini did that snake? Professor Longbottomr stroked his hair gently. "It's ok, Mr. Malfoy, you don't have to get up just yet. Just stay here on my lap, it's alright. Relax. You're very tense; take deep breaths, deep breaths…" he murmured softly. Madam Pomfrey waved her wand twice over the length of the boy's small body. "There you are, dear. I've cast a calming charm on you so you don't have to worry about any anxiety for the moment. Oh no, Scamander just got a bloody nose out on the field. Stay with him, Professor, I'll be back in a moment." she said as she bustled off to help the injured Quidditch player—one of the twins. Professor Longbottom kept Scorpius on his lap, encouraging him to only move if he felt ready. All the boy wanted to do was curl up in his arms and hide from the rest of the world.

It took several minutes to get Scorpius relieved enough to finally sit up. He was shaky and quite paled, but he pushed through—no more looking pitiful for him. Professor Longbottom gave him a proud smile. "There's my brave boy," he said comfortingly. Chrissy rubbed Scorpius's back as he eased onto his seat. The teacher patted his shoulder. "I'll be right back—I'm going to see if they took Rose into questioning. I reckon it would be best to tell her parents what happened before the school does. Save her from getting in too much trouble with her mum. Yell if you need anything, Scorpius." he said. The blonde boy nodded slowly. Chrissy stayed there, the only Slytherin in the Gryffindor section. A hand fell onto the back of Scorpius's head softly. "Here," a male's voice said. A seventh-year had conjured a cup of water and passed it to him from behind. "Take a few sips slowly until your stomach can hold it. You had quite a faint, there." he gently advised. Scorpius gratefully accepted the cup, but felt a little embarrassed. A second-year girl turned around in her seat. "Don't listen to those guys. It's not the end of the world if you're in with us." she told him. A fourth-year boy agreed aloud. Lily hugged him around the shoulders. Hugo would've too, but he couldn't pass up the opportunity to sneak the remaining piece of chocolate frog off her lap while she was preoccupied.

Suddenly, Scorpius felt a little proud. While he was still extremely embarrassed about fainting in front of the whole school, it felt a bit good to have so many people on his side. There were better kids out there than Joseph Zabini—ones that didn't care if Scorpius needed extra time to discover who he was. And they were making it known that they supported him. Two sixth-years, a boy and a girl, made their way down the stands to stop in front of Scorpius. "Don't you give those kids a second thought. The prefects will be all over this in a minute—each one from those kids' Houses won't waste any time in giving 'em what for. And you can bet Potter won't let it slide. He'll have the whole lot sent to Azkaban if they try to hurt his friend again! And we'll help!" they laughed. Scorpius felt himself smile. "What a fighter that Rose Weasley is turning into!" a fifth-year girl exclaimed. "She was on those fools in a heartbeat! It's like she didn't even care about detention! So unlike her!" Even though it was true, the girl did take on a tone of pure adoration. Hugo stood up and waved around. "That was my sister! She's a real pistol, that girl! That's my sis!" he proudly announced. Scorpius grinned. Maybe more Gryffindors were on his side than he thought. Chrysanthemum Creevey took Scorpius's hands in hers. "You're none of the things they say," she murmured sadly, tears brimming in her eyes. "And I'm going to do everything I can to show the school that. I am Head Journalist after all. I'll show everyone how great you are." she promised. Scorpius blushed. He wasn't looking for _that_—he just wished people understood him a little better. But as long as Chrissy was happy with him…did anything else matter?

The match ended up with a win for Gryffindor, and as Albus caught the Snitch, he gave Scorpius a wave as promised. The red-and-gold clad students whooped with excitement at their championship win, all shouting out their favorite players' names in congratulations. All of the Quidditch players landed and dismounted their brooms. The Gryffindors were enveloped in jubilant cries—everyone screamed out who was the most heroic throughout the match. "POTTER!" Hugo roared. "Both Potters!" Lily added in mild correction. "Yeah Cormack!" another girl shouted.

"Jones!"

"Finch-Fletchy is number one!"

"Shernicky—the best Beater!"

"Weasley," Scorpius whispered, the first word he was able to speak after his fainting scare. She hadn't come directly to his aid, she hadn't screamed and cried out for help. Instead, she went straight to the source of the problem, and took care of it while he couldn't do it himself—for that, she was his hero. He didn't want to be anything more than friends with her, and he knew she felt the same about him. But their friendship had strengthened in one instant; it went from friendly rivalry to backup. He was grateful to her. Scorpius glanced up at Chrissy, who was smiling tenderly at him. He wrapped his arms around her neck one more time, and held on a bit longer than he did before. This was new. He liked this. He liked Chrissy.


	14. Year 4: Late November

**Thank you all for the great reviews! Yep, it looks like Scorpius might have a little crush... he is getting older, after all. This is sort of a filler/transition chapter. But woo is the next one going to be a big one! Hang in there if you're not a fan of this chapter. It's speeding up in chapter 15! Enjoy! :)**

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From that time on, the Gryffindors all held a new respect for little Scorpius Malfoy. Apparently seeing the level of torturous bullying for themselves gave them enough reason to realize that he wasn't bringing it upon himself—that people out there really were completely wicked. Meals in the Great Hall became much smoother. Even when Albus and James would lead the table in uproarious laughter, some students still found it interesting to talk to the little blonde boy as well. He didn't mind being included gradually. At least he was being included.

Zabini and the other kids responsible for the beheading of the snake were suspended for two weeks, and given detention for the rest of that school year—every Saturday they saw was faced with cauldron scrubbing, library book reshelving, Quidditch lawn mowing, and various other tasks teachers needed to be completed. Rose wasn't as unfortunate. She did have to do detentions for the rest of her third year, but she wasn't in as much trouble as the other kids. She was only defending her friend when he couldn't do it for himself. She and Scorpius became even better friends than ever before; he told her about how she would always be his hero and his model for bravery. Suddenly their academic rivalry became less intense, and they often found themselves laughing at their own mistakes on tests and assignments. It wasn't so stiff anymore. However, things with Chrysanthemum were different.

Scorpius had really taken a liking to her—totally different than how it was with Rose. Rose was nothing more than a friend (and quickly becoming a best friend, at that) but Chrissy…well, he just left it at the fact that he simply couldn't take his eyes off her, and whenever the fourth-years were all gathered together into one group he always found himself searching for her, even when he didn't realize he was. Neither knew how to act on these feelings though. To her, Scorpius just always seemed so delicate and nervous—if she made a move too fast or just confessed her liking for him, he might panic. To him, Chrissy was so popular; she was the head journalist for the school's newspaper, she could write spellbinding things and have everyone love them, and sometimes a first-year would even ask for her autograph. How could he ask out someone like that? When he himself couldn't eat a normal-sized plate of dinner like every other boy? He didn't deserve her. He'd made up his mind.

Scorpius mulled everything over in his mind as he lay restless in bed one night. All he and Chrissy ever really shared were sweet smiles in the hall, or shy giggles whenever a teacher would praise their works. Occasionally, she'd wave over from the Slytherin table at him—something that instantly brightened any day of his, no matter what circumstances were weighing him down. Sure, he was getting better with his eating problem. At least he could now eat at least one full meal a day. The other two just settled as reduced portions or delayed consumption because of a chronic upset stomach. Would just a few innocent greetings be sufficient enough for him to really clearly decide if she liked him that way?

Scorpius figured telling his parents about these concerns wouldn't really help—his mother would freak and ask deep questions about Chrissy (maybe even contact her) and his father probably could do the same. But Scorpius knew from past experiences to not keep his worries bottled in. And that was why he decided to go to Albus's bed.

The small blonde boy slipped out of his blankets and padded across the short distance between his own fourposter and Albus's. The cold November air made him shiver. Quietly, he crawled into the curtains and laid down beside the sleeping body of his friend. "Albus?" he whispered, gently shaking his arm. "Albus?" The black-haired boy stirred, inhaling deeply as his mind became conscious of being awake again. "Scorpius? Is that you?" he asked. It was difficult to see in the darkness. The blonde huddled closer and nodded. "Hey, what's the matter? Do you feel alright? Stomachache? Headache? Did you have a nightmare?" Albus worriedly rambled through the list of implications Scorpius might be encountering. Scorpius sighed sadly. "No, I can't sleep because something's bothering me." he whispered. Albus leaned over and put an arm around him gently, understanding that this may be very deep if it was denying him the ability to rest. "Well you came to the right place. Why don't you talk about it to me?" he encouraged.

"…But what if I keep you up and you're tired tomorrow?"

"I sleep through Professor Binn's class whether I get ten hours of sleep or two the previous night. He knows, and doesn't even bother to stop me. Don't worry about that."

"Right…well, I was a little concerned about Chrysanthemum Creevey—"

"Is that the one who looks at you with hearts in her eyes?"

"…W-What?"

"That Slytherin girl with the brown hair—it used to be kind of plain and medium-length, but did you see how she grew it out and does things with it now?"

"Well…I guess now that you mention it…she does look a little different….What did you mean when you said she looks at me with hearts in her eyes?"

"You know, whenever you guys pass or even when a professor bloody says your name she blushes and tries not to smile. Haven't you noticed? I think she's doing her hair and stuff now to impress you."

"Really?"

"Think about it—before, she used to wear it down and flat around her face. But after you two had that moment after the Cup last year, she went home over the summer and grew it out. Now she puts it up, curls it, all that girly stuff. There has to be a reason."

"How do you know all this?"

"Trust me, I have a sister and two female cousins. Victoire Weasley did the exact same thing to get Teddy to like her when they went to school—makeup, nice robes, hair. It's a weird science, let me tell you, but it's something all the girls understand."

"Are you sure it's not just because she's so popular in journalism?"

"Yeah right! Most of her publications are based upon you! She may do it subtly, but she's really trying to get your attention."

"You think?"

"I know it. Honestly—and if you repeat this to another living soul I'll have to kill you—Rose has a little crush on a fifth-year. She thinks I don't know, but she always picks where we sit at meals based upon where he is. Potions? Psh, she's too busy brewing up new fragrances to wear that he'd like. Like I said, it's a science to them, but to us it's just a phenomenon. We'll never understand it."

"I guess that's why I can't figure out what's so special about now. I've been around her for four years, how come she's just noticing me in my fourth year?"

"Maybe she likes how brave you are."

Scorpius was puzzled by this. She didn't know of his mental state, or of his constant battle against his stomach—so how could she see his courage? Albus seemed to read his thoughts as always. "Because you're starting to look better. You're not so paled and hallowed anymore. You're getting heartier, and everyone can see it. You just look…_happy_." he explained with a pat on the shoulder of his friend. Scorpius smiled. "Thanks, Albus." he murmured. A little silence passed, and Scorpius almost thought the Potter boy had fallen back asleep. But a sudden gasp made him realize he was incorrect. "Scorpius, now's your chance! The Yule Ball's coming up this year! You have to ask her to it—it's like one of the most romantic experiences at Hogwarts! Ask her and then she'll know you've noticed her improvements, just as she noticed yours!" he cried out. A few fellow Gryffindors could be heard stirring after being awakened by Albus's excitement. Scorpius nodded slowly. "R-Right…I can do that….I think…." he mumbled, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Albus nudged him. "I'll be right there if you need help."

So the next day, Scorpius trembled as he walked by the Great Lake. He'd passed Chrissy a note in The Care of Magical Creatures asking if she'd meet him there directly after lunch, but he gave it to her hastily and didn't even look back to see if she'd nodded or agreed to it.

So he was forced to wait.

He went to the shade of the big oak tree as he lingered, trying everything to keep calm and settle the butterflies in his tummy. Ok, if she didn't show up, it wouldn't be the end of the world. He hadn't hinted anything in the note, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about. …Right? Scorpius plucked a small purple flower from the grass, twirling it in his nervous fingers. It was taking so long. Finally, he saw a brown-haired girl hurrying her way along the stone pathway, occasionally glancing up to make sure he wasn't running away from her. "Hi, Scorpius." she said breathily. Apparently she'd been in quite the hurry to get to him. He blushed deeply. "Hello, Chrissy. Er—Chrysanthemum." he stammered. A short silence ensued. Should he just put it out there right away? Or warm up to it? "Hey listen I was wondering if you'd like to go to the Yule Ball with me but if you don't I understand and that's fine I was just wondering if maybe you'd like to go unless someone else asked you of course and you would—"

"Scorpius, I would love to."

"R-Really? You really would?"

"Of course. I'm so glad you asked me. I didn't want to have to show up alone or stay in my dorm all night."

"Did someone else ask you already though?" the last thing he needed was for another person to have reason to bully him.

"Not at all. You're my first and only."

Something about that statement made her blush, so she looked down and giggled nervously. Scorpius glanced upward. Albus and the others were sitting under a tree a ways away in case he needed anything. Just looking at his group of friends gave him renewed courage. He gently tucked the purple flower behind her neatly done hair. "That makes me very happy to hear that. I'm quite lucky to have such a pretty girl accept me on the first try." he murmured, trying to be grown-up and not sound like a little child. Chrissy blushed again, but this time she looked into his eyes. He really enjoyed her. Within a split second, she threw her arms around his neck. Scorpius wrapped his own arms around her back too, trying to stay brave and feel like a normal teenager.

Apparently Albus had seen the hug, because Scorpius saw him give a big thumbs-up in his direction over the top of Chrissy's head. He grinned. The blushing girl thanked him once more, and the two departed ways to their separate groups. Albus thumped him on the back. "Well done, mate! I knew you could do it!" he exclaimed. Rose smiled too. "She's a very nice girl, and I think she deserves you. You selected a very good place to ask, I might add." she complimented. Lily and Hugo giggled. "_Scorpius has a girlfriend!_" they chanted simultaneously. The blonde boy blushed a bright red, but it didn't sound so bad—maybe things with Chrissy would work out. Maybe she would let him be her boyfriend. As the group made their way to Divination class, he was lost in a daydream about what it would be like to walk hand-in-hand with her everywhere, to take her on dates, to maybe even _kiss_ her…


	15. Year 4: mid-December

**Yay! It's here! This chapter is a long one, but the action is all packed into it! I hope you like this. It took a while to write. But I think once you get through it you'll see why. Let me know what you think and any speculations you might have - because this story is far from being over! :)**

* * *

_Dear Scorpius,_

_We're so proud and happy to hear that you've decided to attend the Yule Ball this evening. Do all of your clothes fit alright? Daddy wanted to make sure. By the way young man, you haven't told us if you've invited a girl or not! Are you just going with Albus and the others? If so, that's perfectly fine. Nothing wrong with going alongside a group. I had lots of friends to do things together with. Daddy asked me to remind you that if you do decide to dance with a girl (even if it's just once), make sure she's nice and deserving of such a good boy like you. He's a nervous wreck here tonight, Scorpius. Don't tell him I said that. But he keeps asking me to add things into this letter to you so that he feels he did a good job. He's also pacing. Again, don't say anything. He'll be upset with me. Just remember to have fun, don't let the Slytherins make you feel bad about yourself, and stick near Albus and James in case something goes wrong. We're both so proud of you. And we can't wait to have you home for Christmas so that you can meet your cousin! The summer was too busy for Aunt Daphne and Uncle Theo, but they want you to see the baby now. Keep in mind all of the people that love you unconditionally tonight—me, Daddy, Aunt Daphne, Uncle Theo, Uncle Bazel, Nana, Papa, Grandmother, Grandfather, and all of your friends. You're brilliant. Have a wonderful time at the ball._

_~Love,_

_Mummy (with lots of help from Daddy)_

Scorpius grinned as he read his letter over and over again. It had been delivered to him at breakfast, but he kept it with him all day as a reminder to not let his bravery falter. Albus nudged him in passing. "Did you leave your tie on my bed?" he asked. All of the Gryffindor boys were in their dormitories, frantically readying themselves for the big event. Scorpius quickly folded the letter back up and tucked it into his jacket's inside pocket. "Er…I-I'm not sure…" he stammered, hoping his friend didn't catch that he was still reading that one letter. Albus didn't seem to hear though, because he was already shouting at James across the room to come help with his collar (which was pointedly sticking straight up for some reason). The prefects were in charge of helping the younger students prepare. James frustratedly hollered at his brother to just wait for a moment, as he was busy tying the tie of a first-year.

Scorpius slipped his shoes on and went to stand in front of a mirror. As he looked at himself, he couldn't help realize how tiny he looked in his suit. The other boys all filled theirs out and appeared more grown-up, more sophisticated. But to him, he just looked like a little boy playing dress-up in one of his father's suits. He didn't look right. James came into view, standing behind him. He gently reached down and parted the boy's thin blonde hair to the left side. Scorpius was silent as they futilely fell back the way they were. James chuckled slightly. "You're worrying," he stated. Scorpius just shrugged—he didn't want to admit it with so many people around. "There's nothing to be scared of. The other prefects and I are watching out for you. Nobody can hurt you in any way. You're going to be just fine. And you look great. Got a girl you're taking?" Scorpius nodded shyly, glancing away to hide his blush. James patted his shoulder. "That a boy, Scorpius. She's going to think the world of you. And if you ever come up with any questions about…you know…_stuff_…feel free to ask me. I've got all your answers." he assured with a wink. Scorpius quietly thanked him.

Albus took Scorpius by the arm and walked out into the commonroom with him. There were a lot of girls waiting for their dates, all dressed up in long ballgowns. The taller dark-haired boy bent down to speak into Scorpius's ear. "I'm looking for my date. If you see Angela Murphy around anywhere, point her out to me. Hey look! There's Rose!" Albus tugged the blonde by the hand over to his cousin. Rose certainly was dazzling—she wore a flowing pink dress that looked well with the color of her hair, which was neatly styled into a perfect bun adorned with sparkles. "Wow, Rosie." Albus grinned. "You look beautiful!" She twirled a bit, clearly happy with her appearance. Scorpius smiled at the way her dress fluttered. "You're very pretty tonight, Rose." he complimented. She smiled at both of them. "Thank you. I really hope my date likes it. He's a fifth-year, so I've got to exceed the appearance of all the older girls up there." she bubbled. Albus nudged Scorpius almost imperceptibly. This must be the fifth-year he was sworn to secrecy about knowing. Trying to suppress a grin, he felt the need to leave them to finding their dates. "I'm supposed to meet Chrissy out by the staircase soon. I don't want to be late for her." he told his friends. Rose nodded her head and waved. "We'll see you at the Ball, then." she bid. Albus didn't say anything—instead he just touched the boy's arm and gave a reassuring wink.

Scorpius paced a few steps back and forth when he reached the staircases. Would Chrissy stand him up? No, she wouldn't do that. All he could do was just wait there for her and hope that no one came by to ruffle him up just to see him fail with her. Finally, someone called out a small, "Scorpius?" He turned around. Chrysanthemum hurried towards him, her stunningly beautiful lavender ballgown sweeping elegantly behind her. When she got close, he noticed that her hair was wound in pretty curls and gathered loosely at the back of her head. He was speechless. Apparently she was too, because as she stood in front of him, all she did was smile. The pair just looked at each other in an awkward silence. Finally, they both just laughed. "I-I think you're…just gorgeous tonight," Scorpius admitted, a blush tinting his cheeks. She giggled. "Thank you. You're looking so handsome I just…I guess I just forgot how to speak." This only made Scorpius blush even harder. He offered his arm and quickly walked them towards the Great Hall to prevent her from seeing how red he was turning.

The hardest task of the night was fast approaching—dinner. Once all of the students filled the Great Hall, they chose round tables to sit at with their dates and other couples. Albus's table filled up too quickly; between him and his date, Rose and hers, James and his, and both Hugo's and Lily's along with themselves, there simply wasn't enough room for Malfoy and Creevey. So Scorpius led them to sit with the twins, Lorcan and Lysander, who had oddly picked a set of female Hufflepuff twins as their dates. It was impossible to keep the couples straight. It just was. But Chrissy didn't seem to mind. She politely engaged in conversation with them, all the while smiling sweetly at her Scorpius. A Slytherin girl wearing a clingy green dress slipped past her, leaning down to whisper a fleeting message in her ear. Scorpius didn't even need to strain to make sure he'd heard correctly. "_You're_ the date of the Gryffindor Snake? Tsk, tsk." But Chrissy calmly turned her head towards the girl. "Shut up," she said, a hint of sweetness in her tone. The girl scowled and walked away. Sure, the Gryffindors were alright with Scorpius by now, but the Slytherins held differencing opinions on him—some still considered him a coward. Chrissy reached under the table and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

Headmistress McGonagal gave a welcoming speech announcing the festivities. Even all of the Hogwarts Staff was dressed up formally—some were even attending with each other. With a wave of her wand, she summoned for all of the food to appear on the tables. Some soft Christmas music played in the background as the students filled their plates. Scorpius took a deep breath. He'd already eaten his one meal of the day…could he be strong and eat two? He cautiously took a slice of turkey. Then a forkful of mashed potatoes. Lorcan (or Lysander, he couldn't tell) looked across the feast at his plate. "Come on, mate! You got to eat more than that! It's Christmastime!" he encouraged. Chrissy glanced down at his plate. "Do you not like turkey, Scorpius?" she asked quietly. He lowered his eyes. But pulling on his bravery, he reached up and took a spoonful of gravy. Lysander (possibly Lorcan) sighed. He waved his wand at Scorpius's plate, causing all of the food to disappear. "Start over," he suggested. "And make a plate as big as mine!" Scorpius glanced at the stuff piled onto his. Mashed potatoes, three slices of turkey, a heap of stuffing, corn, squash, all swimming in gravy. He felt something inside his stomach drop. That particular twin's girl pointed at his plate. "Why are the mashed sweet potatoes underneath the regular mashed potatoes? Don't you eat them separate?" she asked curiously. Scorpius realized that the mound of white was sitting on top of the orange stuff. "Mum always taught us to eat it that way. She also had us each wear a butterbeer cork anklet hidden under our sock because she says it always brings good luck." he casually explained. Then Scorpius remembered—their mother was Luna Lovegood. His father had told him that she was always a little off, a bit strange. But the dates didn't seem to mind that. They just nodded along interestedly.

Scorpius just went along with it and filled his plate so the twins would stop calling attention to him. He didn't have any hard feelings towards them—they had no clue he couldn't eat. They were only trying to help. But every bite made his stomach churn more and more. The Slytherin girl's voice rang in his ears, and when he looked up, he saw Joseph Zabini eating with Dania Goyle. Suddenly his plate looked incredibly unappetizing. Was he regressing? He'd come so far as a Gryffindor, but his selection of a Slytherin—was that moving forward? It would be hard for her, that's for sure. That was only one girl that had said something to her; he was positive other people had targeted her too. He couldn't help but wonder if he was dragging her down with him inadvertently. He felt his breathing quicken as his forkful of stuffing rattled in his fingers. Scorpius froze. He couldn't take another bite, he just couldn't. Not with everyone there, watching him, judging his precious Chrysanthemum for choosing such a coward, judging him for thinking he had a chance with her. Was that happening? He didn't know. With the teasing, he knew when people didn't like him. But now that everything had quieted, he had no way of telling people's thoughts.

Lysander paused his laughter at his girl's joke to look at Scorpius. "You alright, mate?" he asked seriously. Scorpius was too wrapped up in his thoughts to be able to speak. He gave a small nod of his head in response, not really sure if that counted as lying or not. Then Chrissy turned to him. She touched his shaking wrist and softly whispered, "Scorpius?" This brought his crashing back to the world. His stomach churned uncomfortably after bring filled with food. "I-I…excuse m-me for a moment…." he stammered, rising from the table. Scorpius didn't look back as he hurried out of the Great Hall, desperately searching for the nearest bathroom. Hoping James would notice his sudden flee, he knew he'd just have to wait a few minutes alone before he came and picked him back up. Scorpius struggled to keep his dinner down already. Why? Why was this happening now on such a happy evening? He had everything he could want—a loving family, an accepting House, good friends, a nice girl….

And then his thoughts took control and commandeered all the pleasant things into the dark corners of his mind.

His family loved him so much, they'd make themselves sick over him when they worried and fall close to death; his accepting House had not always been that way, and the other kids still didn't view him as entirely normal; his friends would never tell him, but they could feel burdened by his constant mental state—like they had to take care of him; and his nice girl…she deserved someone better, someone that wasn't so difficult to figure out, that didn't attract negative attention wherever he went. He only troubled her. He knew it. Scorpius darted into the closest boys' bathroom and barely made it to a stall before violently throwing up everything he'd eaten. He sobbed incessantly at the realization of what he had just done. Would his parents be proud? Of course not. Would Professor Longbottom hug him and say 'there's my brave boy'? No way. Would Chrissy leap into his arms after giving him a big kiss? Certainly not. Then why did his subconscious prevail and let him do it?

Hurried footsteps sounded against the stone floor of the bathroom. Scorpius wiped his face as he wailed in agony at the things going through his mind. A pair of big, strong hands rubbed his back and flushed the toilet to get the sick out of his line of view. "J-James…" Scorpius brokenly sobbed. "I-I'm sorry….I d-don't know…_why!_" There wasn't any speaking after that, just gentle caresses and painful sobs. After a while, Scorpius was wrapped in the big strong arms. He curled up close to his chest. He buried his face into his shoulder, just wanting James to tell him that he wasn't disappointed in him. This older boy was his main defender—sure Albus and Rose were great friends that always had his back, but James had power; and power was what scared the bullies away. "E-Everything got so…so stuffy….and then all the bad thoughts j-just started rushing in and it hurt me! It hurt me so bad!" Scorpius cried out in explanation. "J-Just…please tell me you're…n-not upset….please…" Scorpius rubbed his eyes and tearfully looked up to try to read James' expression. Instantly, his eyes went wide with shock.

It wasn't James at all.

Scorpius let out a yelp of fear as he jumped off the boy's lap, drawing his wand from his pocket instantly. He pointed it at the person who'd followed him. He pointed it at Joseph Zabini. "What are you doing?!" Scorpius shouted in fear. The tan boy put his hands up in surrender. "Scorpius, let me talk—"

"Let you talk?! Why are you going to talk to me before running out there and 'talking' to everyone about what you've seen in here?! Go out there and tell them that Scorpius Malfoy is an even bigger coward than they could possibly imagine, because he can't eat like a normal boy due to his _eating disorder!_ Go run and tell them all, Zabini!"

"If I could explain—"

"_Don't you dare!_" Scorpius screamed when Zabini took a step towards him. "Don't…you…dare…" he quieted. "I'm telling you to stay where you are. Stay there. Stay there or I'll hex you!"

"You wouldn't hex me. You wouldn't do it because I'm trying to help you."

"I would! I'd do it in a minute! You give me reason to and I'll send your brains flying out of your ears! I've paid attention in Defense Against the Dark Arts! T-That's one of the classes I beat Rose in!"

"Scorpius, calm down. Please calm down. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm not here to find more things to tease you about. I saw you run out of the Great Hall and Chrissy looked really worried—"

"Don't you _dare_ call her Chrissy! That's what I call her! It's mine!"

"Alright…alright, I'm sorry. Chrysanthemum looked really worried, so I watch Potter to see if he'd go see what's wrong. But he was so busy eating his date's face that neither of them saw you. I didn't want you to be alone."

"You lie!"

"I'm not lying. Scorpius…I'm sorry about what I did. When I think back to all the things I said…I just can't blame you for becoming mentally damaged. I was taking out my mother's aggression towards your surname on you directly. And that wasn't right. I want to start over." he said softly, reaching his hand out for a shake and taking a step towards the cowering blonde.

"_FLIPENDO!_" Scorpius screamed, and a stream of yellow light shot out and missed Zabini by inches—had his hand not been shaking, it could've hit him directly.

A mirror behind Zabini shattered, as the spell was a Knockback Jinx that would strike an opponent onto their rump or smash anything in its path. Zabini froze. Scorpius gasped for shaky breath, eyes wide in realization of what he'd done. Zabini took his wand into his hand. Scorpius could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't going to aim a hex back at him—that he was only doing it if he needed a protection charm. "_Expelliarmus_!" Scorpius sobbed, watching as Zabini's wooden stick hit the wall behind him. The two just stared at each other. Suddenly hurried footsteps clattered towards the bathroom. James and three of his prefect friends ran in, wands drawn and ready to stop a duel. James set his eyes on Scorpius and gasped. "You're alright!" he cried. The female Hufflepuff prefect grabbed Zabini's arms and held him in place. "I saw this ugly_ rat_ running out of the Great Hall, and when I saw your seat was empty I figured he'd try to corner you." James snarled, occasionally glancing at Zabini. He remained calm though, not even showing any anger towards the way he was being treated. The male Ravenclaw prefect nudged James and pointed at the shattered glass. "Did you do this?" James shouted at Zabini. "Did you smash this mirror, you rat?!" Zabini shook his head, but didn't sell Scorpius out. "I don't believe anything you say." James bit. He raised his eyes to his blonde friend. "Scorpius…did you do this?" His tone clearly showed that he was going to believe Scorpius over Zabini. The small boy's heart raced. This was his chance to get back at Zabini for all those times of trouble…

Slowly, Scorpius shook his head.

James shoved Zabini. "I knew it." he snarled. "Always causing trouble, aren't you? Can't leave the little guy alone, constantly have to hurt him and lie." Suddenly a pang of guilt struck Scorpius. _He'd_ just lied. The first big lie in his life. Was it worth it? "James, wait!" he cried out as the prefects began leading Zabini away. James turned around. "It's alright, Scorpius. As soon as I get this scum to McGonagal, I'll be right back here for you. I'll come back and give you a hug. Alright?"

"I-I did it…"

"…What?"

"He c-came in after me…and…and I thought it was you. But when I saw it was him, I got scared…and…I…tried to jinx him and missed and hit the mirror so it broke and he took out his wand in case he needed to use a protective charm even though I knew he wasn't going to hurt me because he was being nice and I disarmed him I made a mistake and I lied and it isn't his fault he was just trying to help me and I wouldn't let him I'm sorry."

Scorpius was back to crying again. James glanced at the other prefects. The Hufflepuff girl said something to him, which he answered with a nod. They took Joseph Zabini away, who spared a sympathetic glance back at Scorpius over his shoulder as he was pulled out of sight. James stood in front of Scorpius, in complete shock. "Why did you…_lie_, Scorpius?" he whispered. The sobbing blonde shook his head. "I-I was scared…" he gasped out.

"You were scared because Zabini was threatening you?"

"Because he _wasn't_ threatening me,"

"What do you mean?"

"H-He…he rubbed my back after I threw up and l-let me hold onto him. W-When I asked why he was doing that, he told me…he told me that he was sorry a-and that he wanted to help me…"

"…Scorpius I know this is a hard time for you, and that you must not understand why he's coming around, but you can't lie. If you'd explained right away…then maybe things would be different. I know you were honest in the end. Yes, that's a good thing. But you've got to be honest from the start. It's ok to be scared. And sometimes we're stupid when we're frightened suddenly or put on the spot. Maybe maturity will teach you how to handle it for yourself better. But for now…I'm going to have to give you your first detention. I'm not trying to punish you or teach you a lesson; it's just something that has to be done. Alright?"

The tears burned even harder. He was so ashamed of himself. How could he screw this up so badly? "I-If I use a countercharm on the mirror…w-will you take the detention away?" he stammered. James gave a sad smile. "For a Knockback Jinx it's extremely difficult—it's not just a regular _reparo_. The countercharm is only for fifth and sixth-years." he tried to explain gently. Scorpius rubbed his face. "B-But can I try?" James sighed as the small boy walked over to the shattered pieces and drew his wand. Quietly, almost in his head, Scorpius murmured the countercharm. James's eyebrows raised slowly. Just as slowly as the shards of glass that were beginning to rise from the floor and adhere together back on the wall. Once secured, Scorpius looked at him with big tearful eyes. "What do you think?" he asked, more about the punishment rather than the mirror. James nodded slowly. "I'll consider it. But that was very well done. I am impressed." He extended his hand towards the smaller boy. "Come on, let's get back to the Ball. You can still have fun tonight—just stay on the opposite side of the room from Zabini. I'll tell you before bed tonight what your penalty will be. But really, Scorpius, just have fun. Don't worry about all that." he assured gently. The blonde nodded and wiped his face. "Do I still look alright for Chrissy?" he squeaked. James laughed. "You certainly do. In fact, I think you even look a little tougher."

This perked Scorpius up enough to have him return to his date and swing her out to the dance floor with the other couples. They didn't talk about his sudden disappearance. Happily, they danced together in perfect unison; Scorpius thought he had the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts with him. He loved the feeling of her dress gliding along at his feet, he loved how her hair was curled, yet still looked soft. He loved how she'd only laugh if he made a misstep, then completely drop it as if it never happened. The evening went by too quickly for him, and at the close of the Ball, he decided to extend it by bringing her out to one of the enchanted fireplaces in the corridors of Hogwarts.

The two sat on the floor before the magical warmth. Even when she was sitting, he dress spread about her like flower petals, she looked beautiful in the shimmering light. Scorpius smiled tenderly at her. After a few minutes of silence, she faced him. "Scorpius, can you tell me why you left so suddenly at dinner? The twins—all of them—and I were worried about you." she gently said, tracing his fingers lightly. He sighed. How to say this? "L-Listen, I myself am not so comfortable talking about it, but I will tell you that I ran because I was afraid, and returned feeling brave. Maybe someday I'll explain that, but…it's just really hard right now, and I hope you understand."

"I understand, Scorpius. You don't have to say any more. But…can you tell me what you think of us?"

"Us?"

"As a couple, I mean."

"Oh…er…yeah, I can tell you about that…."

Scorpius bit his lip, deciding that actions spoke louder than words. He leaned forward, took Chrissy's hand in his own, used his free one to hold her cheek, and kissed her right on the lips. After pulling apart, she seemed happily surprised. "I-I…" Scorpius began, but couldn't finish at the realization that he'd just had his first kiss. But apparently he didn't have to, because she managed to squeak out a small, "I feel the same way," The pair looked at each other and broke out into huge smiles. They embraced, and Scorpius walked her back to her commonroom—holding her hand the entire time. It was a truly magical night.

As he entered the Gryffindor commonroom, he saw Rose sitting on one of the sofas wiping her eyes with a tissue. "Rose, why are you crying?!" he frantically whispered as he took a seat next to her. She dabbed at her eyes, trying to smile. "Oh, it's nothing. Doesn't really matter. Turns out Thomas Vane isn't all that great after all." she admitted. Thomas Vane must've been her fifth-year crush. "Why? Did he hurt your feelings?" Scorpius empathetically asked. She shrugged. "Kind of. I expected a really exciting and romantic night with him, but he turned me down. Said he had to get back upstairs and write a letter to his girlfriend at Beauxbaton's. I can't believe he never told me!" She sighed heavily. "I guess I just feel used. He just wanted someone to go to the Ball with. And I fell for it." Scorpius rubbed her shoulders. "Hey, don't get down about it. Think about that girl at the other school—she's probably bragging that she's got a perfect long-distance relationship, but she doesn't know he did that! And besides, he didn't just pick anyone, he picked you. I'm sure if she ever even just saw a picture of you she'd be furiously jealous." he comforted. Rose smiled. "Thanks, Scorpius. You're my best friend." After being sure she was alright, Scorpius headed up to his own dormitory. He was exhausted—it had been quite the day.

After undressing and realizing that Albus and his date must've hit it off considering they weren't back yet, Scorpius found a note on his fourposter.

_Scorpius,_

_I've decided that you don't have to do detention, but I'm taking five points from Gryffindor. I've talked with all the other prefects about this. They agree it's fair. While you were wrong to lie (and please don't do it again because I hate being upset with you), you asserted your bravery with confidence even though you were scared. Bet you don't think you're a Squib now, huh?_

_~Sleep well,_

_James Sirius Potter_

Scorpius smiled a bit. He was incredibly ashamed of his actions (especially his lie), but he felt a little better knowing that someone admired his bravery. He'd really done it—he'd actually stood up to Joseph Zabini. Granted, he wasn't being threatened, but for him it was an accomplishment. Even if Zabini was being nice, three years ago Scorpius would've just cowered in a corner. Maybe he wasn't so weak after all. Scorpius drifted off the sleep holding his parents' letter in his hands, thinking about his first kiss with his beautiful girl.


	16. Year 4: Early January

**Hopefully this chapter fixes some things and makes a few aspects clearer. I've got to admit, sometimes I start ideas and don't finish them. So this is sort of a catch-up one, but don't worry! It's got tons and tons and tons of action and breath-baiting scenes! I hope you like it. Two big chapters in a row! Scorpius really must be growing up... :)**

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The moment Scorpius's eyes opened, he jumped out of bed and flew out of his room. This was the day he'd been waiting months for—the day he would finally meet his cousin. When he ran into the dining room, he saw his parents sitting at the kitchen table in their pajamas together, holding hands on top of the wood. "Goodness, Scorpius!" Astoria gasped, clutching her chest as an effect of being so suddenly startled. He climbed onto a chair, grinning excitedly. "Sorry, Mummy. I'm just so excited to meet my baby cousin today that I just couldn't sleep any longer!" he cried out. Draco chuckled. "I know you're excited, son. But…just be prepared for some…_differentiating opinions_ towards Nana and Papa. Aunt Daphne and Uncle Theo are still a little upset towards them." he stammered uneasily.

To say that Daphne and Theodore were a little upset was a complete understatement.

They were fuming. The moment Astoria crossed the threshold of their home, Daphne questioned her as to what their mother had used to slander her name now, who had mentioned anything outside of the family, and more importantly did Scorpius know everything about the dilemma. Draco rolled his eyes. "He certainly does now, considering every get-together we seem to have with your family, it erupts into a bloody duel of language." he sneered. Scorpius knew that Daphne, like her mother, was a bit wary of his father because of his past actions. Astoria encouraged them to let it go, but often Daphne would let some things slip (typically if she had enough alcohol in her) that would sting Draco Malfoy, prompting him to drift away from her a little more for a while until she'd made it up to him.

But Uncle Theo seemed to be able to read Scorpius's mind when the women started their chatter. "Come on, let's go see your cousin." he said, wrapping an arm around the boy's slender shoulders. Scorpius was practically shaking with excitement as he was led down a few hallways and all the way into a pink-painted little nursery. The boy creased his brow, turning to look at his new uncle. "I thought you and Aunt Daphne were having a baby boy," he said. Theo smiled. "So did we. But apparently the screening was misread, and we ended up with a very beautiful girl." he answered. Scorpius nodded, very surprised. He carefully stepped over to the crib, eager to peek inside and see the little one. "Her name's Constantine," he murmured. A little baby all dressed in a soft pink skirting babbled up at Scorpius, eyes wide as she took a look at the new face. "Constantine," Scorpius breathed. Theo reached down and picked her up. "Would you like to hold her?" he asked.

The moment the baby was placed into his arms, Scorpius felt an incredible amount of love. It took his breath away. This baby, this little thing, was brought into the world for a reason, a purpose; she'd spend a lifetime searching for that final achievement. "She's almost a year. Can you believe that? It's a shame that family arguments have prevented you from meeting her as a newborn." Theo said, watching Scorpius rock the girl in his arms. "It's alright, Uncle Theo. I've been away at school too." he replied. The man chuckled. A few moments of silence passed by, filled only with an occasional babble or coo from the girl. "Shouldn't Nana be happy that someone finally had her a granddaughter?" Scorpius asked. His mother had told him about the occasional guilt-snap Nana threw on her, even years later. "You'd think," Theo sighed. "But sometimes you've got to come to the conclusion that some people are never going to be entirely happy. Got to give them your best, but let go once you can't do any more." Scorpius nodded. That seemed about right. As another silence passed, more footsteps were heard entering the room.

Astoria gasped when she saw the color of the nursery. Theo explained to her that there was a bit of a gender mix-up, but that they were glad they had a little daughter. Draco smiled a bit at his niece, but didn't do much else—Scorpius could tell that he was already a little done with the Greengrass drama that Daphne kept trying to stir up with his wife. But the way Astoria held the child and rocked her, looked so lovingly into her eyes…it made Scorpius's heart break for her. Had she been healthy, she probably would've had six or seven children. She was just a natural mother. But since she could barely have one, it was a strange new experience to see her act so similarly towards a child other than himself. Constantine demonstrated her newfound walking abilities, toddling across the circle of adults to a different person every time. They overall had a fun day with her; especially Scorpius. He loved everything about this baby, the way she giggled, the way she clapped her hands, the way she watched everyone so closely. It fascinated him. "May we come back often to see Constantine?" he asked as they were about to depart from the Nott residence. Draco snorted. "Only if we're allowed to, considering your Nana puts a black mark near our name whenever she's moody enough." he muttered. Astoria pretended she didn't hear her husband's remark. "Of course, darling. You can be like a big brother to her—it's good when cousins stay close. I think Constantine would love it if you visited her often, especially in her developmental years." she agreed with a smile. Draco scoffed yet again, muttering under his breath something about never being allowed to see his cousin Nymphadora because his family had done a bit of pruning to their family tree as well.

On the way home, Astoria's condition worsened for an unknown reason. She became weak and needed to hold onto Draco as they walked. "It's the curse," he whispered anxiously. "She must have feelings inside that are strengthening it." Although it was never spoken aloud, Scorpius could pinpoint it exactly: his mother had grown a loving attachment to Constantine, and even though she hadn't admitted it, she still felt a little guilty and disappointed in herself for not being able to have more children. Since she'd been doing so well recently, the Dark curse preyed upon the first opportunity allowed—and it was hitting her hard. "Let's stop at Hogsmeade," Draco suggested urgently. "We'll let her sit down and maybe get her something to drink so I can add her potion in. Perhaps we can force the symptoms away if we all stay together." Scorpius nodded—that seemed like a rational idea. The family entered the Three Broomsticks hastily and chose a table near the back of the restaurant.

Draco clutched his wife's hand desperately and kept an arm around her waist as she struggled to stay alert. A greasy-looking bartender came by to ask if they needed anything to eat. Scorpius looked up and answered for his father. "May we please just get three butterbeers? My mother needs to take her potion with a liquid. She's ill and we have to be together, all the same." he explained, although the man shuffled away as if not even hearing the last part of the boy's reasoning. He returned with the drinks. Draco gave his son an approving and gracious nod as he encouraged Astoria to take a sip of her butterbeer laced with the red potion the mediwizards had encouraged her to take during a low time. Scorpius tried to remain quiet during this ritual. He sipped his butterbeer, sometimes looking around at the people dining around them. But he kept a hold on his mother's shoulder when she needed an extra boost of love.

Scorpius watched a tall man with a strange limp stand up from his table and begin to stump over to them. His breath caught when the messy man stopped right in front of their table. "You," he growled lowly, looking at Draco. The young blonde kept his gaze level, although it was clear that he was wary. "May I help you?" he asked. The two just stared at each other for a long time. The man gave a silent flick of his wand, casting a disarming charm, and Draco's wand fell from his pocket and skidded across the floor. Apparently, he'd discretely reached for it and was caught. Scorpius and Astoria gasped; the whole bar went quiet. Draco didn't take his eyes off the now growling man. "Astoria…go." he whispered. She clutched his arm in fear, silently begging for him to just get up and leave with her. But he wouldn't move. Scorpius knew he had to act in his father's place. He gently led her by the arm out of the restaurant, sitting her on the step and facing her directly. "I can't leave Daddy in there by himself. I'm just going to go back in and bring him back to you, alright? I'll be just a second." he explained. She frantically asked him to stay outside with her and be safe, but he had a job to do. He had to protect his family.

When Scorpius reentered the Three Broomsticks, the man was now leaning over the table, shouting at Draco. "You see this?" he hollered. "See this scar on my face?! See that I've got no left hand?! It was you. _You_ did this to me!" Draco remained still and silent. "I was inside the castle during the Battle of Hogwarts." the greasy man snarled. "I was there, and I know how it got to be so bloody horrific. It was _you!_ You repaired that magical Cabinet or whatever, and that was what let the Death Eaters in. If you hadn't…well, then maybe I'd still have my arm. Maybe I wouldn't so _repulsive to look at!_" A chilling silence rang. Draco was clearly disturbed by the accusations he abhorred and the reminder of all the horrible things he did. Scorpius wanted to scream. He hadn't done it because he was bad! He was only trying to protect his family, he had no choice! "Well I guess it's time you pay for all the pretty blood you had spilt that night. We'll see how pretty your blood runs…." he sneered, raising his wand and whipping it in the air.

"_Expelliarmus!_"

Scorpius called out; he'd had his wand out in an instant, using it to successfully disarm the beast threatening his father. Draco snapped his gaze to his son, begging with his eyes for him not to get involved. But it was too late. Scorpius was not going to let his family get torn apart while he was perfectly able to duel. The man chuckled lowly. "Well, well. Another pretty little blonde boy. Oh, I'll bet his blood runs much smoother…so young…" Scorpius was unafraid. "_Accio Draco's wand!_" he shouted, formulating a plan in his head.

"_Nox!_" the man shouted. The spell was cancelled. "Look at the little first-year. Look at him trying to show the world how much he learned at Hogwarts. Cute, Malfoy. What a cute son."

"_Flipendo!_" Scorpius retaliated, watching as the man was flipped upside down and held there in midair. Some of the frightened patrons gasped. But unfortunately, the man was able to grab his wand from the floor on his ascent, and he terminated the spell quickly. "Scorpius, no—" Draco pleaded. He was cut off when a silent spell shot right past the boy's ear. "_Avis Oppugno!_" the small boy yelled. A flock of bright red birds burst from the tip of his wand, all swarming in attack upon the man who had no idea how to repel a spell like _that_. Scorpius used this to his advantage. "_Confringo!_" The table the man was leaning on (Draco's table) burst into flames, causing much screaming and terror. The birds had scattered by this time. "_Aguamenti!_" the man barked. The fire reduced to smolders.

"_Expulso!_" a few chairs around him exploded into splinters. Draco hit the ground and crawled through the dense, choking smoke in search of his wand.

"_Accio, Malfoy's wand!_" The evil man now had possession of it before Scorpius could counter.

"_Impedimenta!_" Scorpius screamed, now feeling a little bit of fear considering it was just him and this guy in battle and his father couldn't help him. The man froze on the spot as a result of the charm. "_Accio, Draco's wand!_" Since he was not able to respond, the wand flew straight to Scorpius. He hurried to his father. This spell wouldn't last long…. Draco took the wand but clutched his son's shoulder tightly. "Scorpius, I forbid you to cast another spell! It's too dangerous! He's unstable!" he said heatedly. He was only trying to protect him. Scorpius pulled away—he could hear the man's boots stomping on the floor, a sign the spell had lifted. "I'm not a baby anymore, Father. I can do this myself." Father. It was the first time Scorpius had directly called him 'Father' and not 'Daddy'. The small blonde stood up to face the man. "_Locomotor table!_" he screamed, and directed the heavy table to fall onto its side, creating a barrier between the Malfoys and the man. Draco pointed his wand up. "_Stupef—_"

"_Crucio!_" the man bellowed, already leaning over the barrier Scorpius had made and pointing his wand directly at Draco. Everything seemed to move in slow motion for Scorpius. He had less than a second…just a _fraction_ of time to come up with a repellant. But wasn't this an Unforgivable Curse?…

"_PROTEGO HORIBILIS!_" Scorpius screamed, using every ounce of voice and strength he had in him. He didn't even know if it would work—would a protection spell he'd just begun studying in class hold up against an Unforgivable Curse? A burst of bright green light shot from the tip of his wand, instantly blasting everything around them away, including the man and his purple-lit spell. Again, everything happened in slow motion. Scorpius saw everything flash bright but he flung himself overtop his father to prevent the curse from hitting him. It never reached either of them. The moment all the dust and blasted chunks settled, Scorpius stood up.

There, lying against a wall on the far-end of the restaurant that had a new crack in it from where the body hit, was the greasy man who'd threatened to take his father away from him, who'd dared to mess with a Malfoy.

Scorpius gingerly edged his way over. He didn't want to kill him—just get him to stop using such harmful curses. "I-Is he…" he whispered, more to himself than to the bystanders who were huddled in a corner. A woman shook her head. "Stunned," she breathed back. Scorpius stood over the groaning man for a moment, barely able to see him through all the dust and smoke of the battle. "_Petrificus Totalus_," he murmured, causing the man to freeze into a stiff position. He wanted to keep him that way until Ministry officials arrived and he could tell them about the use of an Unforgivable Curse. Apparently the owner of the restaurant was already on it—he'd summoned them from the back fireplace.

The door to the restaurant burst open, but it was much too cloudy to see who was entering. The frantic yet weak voice gave it away instantly. "Draco?! Scorpius?!" Astoria's slim figure was seen fighting her way in, tripping and stumbling over debris to find her family. Was his father alright? He hadn't even checked. Did that make him a bad son? The Ministry officials burst in instantly, all crowding around Scorpius and the body. They swarmed him with questions, asking why the duel had started, who'd initiated it, what his father had to do with it, how the man was holding up currently. Scorpius found himself breathlessly answering what seemed like the same questions over and over again. A tall, dark-haired man stepped forward and cast the others silent with a simple wave of his hand. "I can take it from here," he assured. He bent down to see the boy through all the smoke. Big round glasses met Scorpius's eyes, which were immediately drawn up to a lightning-shaped scar on the man's forehead. "Scorpius Malfoy? Harry Potter. Head Auror of the Ministry of Magic. It's nice to meet you." the man said gently, holding out his hand. Harry Potter? He was in the very presence of _the Harry Potter?!_ Was his reaction to the evil man's threats really _that_ bad?

Scorpius panicked suddenly, hesitantly taking his offered hand. "A-Am I going to Azkaban?" he stammered, wanting to look as brave as possible. Although he was failing miserably. Harry laughed heartily. "Of course not, dear! But this guy is. They just checked his wand for the last spell he cast, and it was an Unforgivable Curse. How on earth did you know how to block that with a Dark Magic repellant charm? You're only a fourth-year…! Hogwarts doesn't teach that sort of Dark Magic defense so in-depth anymore…." he said. Scorpius tried to smile. "I don't know…I hadn't ever really used it before. I just hoped it would work." he explained. "I-Is my father…"

"Don't worry, Scorpius. Your father is fine. A piece of debris struck him as it fell from the ceiling, but he's going to be alright. I promise. You really scuffed up this place, didn't you?" Harry joked. Scorpius looked around in embarrassment.

The walls were cracked everywhere, the ceiling was blown in, table and chairs were destroyed, and scorch-marks blazed all around the room. He turned red in his humiliation. "I-I can try to fix this…" he said, raising his wand a little. Again, Harry just laughed. "No need, dear. I can help you with that, as will all of the Ministry officials. We might make it look better. The place needed a bit of an upgrade, don't you agree?" Scorpius found himself smiling. Harry had the others take care of the new Azkaban criminal while he walked Scorpius back over to his parents. Draco was being tended to by a healer—he'd taken quite a large gash into his head from the concrete slab's fall. Astoria held his hand, begging for him to be alright. She looked worse than before—but Scorpius knew it was because of worry. He knelt beside his father quietly. He didn't say a word. It took a little while for Draco to slowly move his face so he could see his son, squinting up against the harsh light. "You were right," he whispered hoarsely. "You're not a baby anymore." Scorpius smiled. "Malfoys stick together," he repeated, recalling all of the times he'd heard his Grandfather say it. It had a whole new meaning to him now. Once Draco was able to sit up, the Healers tended to the scrapes Scorpius had endured. Harry and Draco talked only a little, both not meeting each other's eyes. But it was good conversation—nothing harsh, nothing upsetting. They were only checking in on each other for now. Astoria hugged Scorpius tightly to her. "Oh, my little boy…" she whispered tearfully. "Such a brave dueler. So smart. So courageous. Oh, I'm incredibly proud to call you my son. You're…you're a _hero_." He smiled again, hugging her back. Scorpius remembered a time when he was at his lowest point ever in the Herbology greenhouse attempting suicide. He thought about Professor Longbottom's encouragement for all the time after. And then it hit him:

Professor Longbottom had once told him that his bravery was on the inside, and that he needed an opportunity and the strength to bare it to the world. He had done it. He didn't hide when the man disarmed Draco—he stood up and fought. He'd proven himself brave.

Scorpius Malfoy had proven himself a Gryffindor.


	17. Year 4: mid-March

**Yay! This one's a happy one! Let me know what you think about the end of this chapter...your response will sort of determine how I write the next one! I like when my readers tell me what they're feeling towards a particular character or situation. Believe it or not, a lot of the things you leave me in reviews shape the direction of the story. Sometimes I'll plan to do it totally different but if you are drawn to something, I'll make it go there. I appreciate you all. Let me know what you think! :)**

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Scorpius scanned another letter from home at breakfast one morning, taking a small bite of a kipper as he did so. Astoria was still bubbling over his bravery during the duel and Draco wrote about how proud he was to call Scorpius a Malfoy—his son. The boy smiled to himself. Just as he was imagining his parents talking about him at their little breakfast table at home, something slammed harshly down in front of him. Scorpius raised his eyes; he wasn't so afraid to look around the corner or nervous when someone shouted his name anymore. Albus Potter stood before him, having just smacked a copy of _The Daily Prophet_ onto the table. Scorpius raised an eyebrow. "Morning," he greeted. Albus grinned from ear to ear as he seated himself and pointed to the headline, holding it up for his best friend to see. "Look who's a star!" he excitedly whispered. Scorpius studied the front page. "Albus, where did you get this? What is this even?" he asked as he read the words. The Potter boy just kept laughing. "It's real! It's actually in the paper today! Everyone across the globe in the Wizarding World is hearing your story—your duel! I'm so proud of you, Scorpius! I really and truly am!" he cried out, hugging him around the shoulders. Scorpius was breathless. "But…why? Why now?" he gasped. Albus shrugged. "Because Dad finally got the man celled up in Azkaban last night!"

The news about Scorpius's battle at the Three Broomsticks had spread through Hogwarts like wildfire—with the help of Chrysanthemum Creevey. She'd put her journalism skills to their highest potential and wrote article after article about her boy's bravery and his fight for family. Nobody teased him anymore. Nobody babied him. He'd proven to the world that he could take care of himself, and now apparently the world was beginning to see why. _The Daily Prophet_'s front page had a photo of Scorpius talking to Harry Potter when they'd met inside the wrecked building, and the headline read in bold letters "REPAIRING A PUREBLOOD SURNAME WHILE MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF: SCORPIUS MALFOY DEFIES THE DARK ARTS". Albus called James over and excitedly repeated the news about Scorpius making the paper. Rose, however, had already had the entire article read before she even arrived at breakfast, but was full of compliments and congratulations towards her friend. "Hey, Albus?" Scorpius timidly asked, a bright shade of red after being showered with so much attention. "Do you think I could steal that paper from you for a minute to read it?" Still in a joyous mood, Albus let him and James read it at the same time. Meanwhile, he informed every other Gryffindor at the table to buy a copy from their owls.

"_**REPAIRING A PUREBLOOD SURNAME WHILE MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF: SCORPIUS MALFOY DEFIES THE DARK ARTS**_

_By Collin Creevey_

_It was known for quite some time that the wealthy pureblood surname 'Malfoy' pointed directly to Dark Magic and an underlying connection to Lord Voldemort himself. Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy, 63 and 62 respectively, defected from the band of Death Eaters and essentially the Dark Lord in 1996 to protect themselves and their son Draco from further harm. From that time forward, there has been little sighting of them and very little rumors concerning their loyalties and status. The Malfoy name had an ancestry of complete Slytherin lineage from all magical beings that attended Hogwarts. No one in this family had ever married outside of their original dwellings, until Draco Malfoy, 37, took Astoria Malfoy's (nee Greengrass), 35, hand in matrimony even though she was a Hufflepuff. But even though the Dark Magic seemed to be dispelled from that infamous surname, it was unable to escape grasping hold on its newest member, Astoria. She was struck by a Dark curse by a Death Eater back in 1996 and is unable to fully recover. A sickness spell, it attaches/preys itself upon her misery, resulting in the loss of a pregnancy as well as several lifetime milestones._

_But the new generation of Malfoys didn't let any more Darkness impede their progression. Draco now works at the Ministry of Magic as a casehandler, a very good one at that. Astoria stayed at home to care for the one child she was able to produce—little Scorpius Malfoy. He isn't an entirely healthy boy; he was born almost three months too early and his size today reflects that premature birth. But does he have a spirit in him. Scorpius began his Hogwarts years placed in the same House as his father, grandmother, grandfather, and majority of his ancestors—Slytherin. But events and losses in his young life encouraged the Headmistress to initiate one of the largest (and most controversial) changes in Hogwarts history: Scorpius Malfoy was re-Sorted during his third year, and placed into Gryffindor—the House of the brave. His parents supported him entirely. "He never felt like he belonged there," Astoria comments. "But he didn't fit in Slytherin either." His Herbology professor and Head-of House Neville Longbottom speaks about him with high regards. "I knew that all he needed was a chance to prove his own bravery to himself. Everyone else could see it, but he had to recognize it in order to fully understand that he was a remarkable young person." Scorpius finally got that chance just a few months previous, during his duel with Herman Cox at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade._

_As you remember from our previous coverage of the story, the small fifteen-year-old fought off the huge man that attempted his injure Draco. His defense and his accuracy of spells was incredible. But in this edition, we got the chance to talk to Head Auror Harry Potter about what he saw when he arrived at the scene, and his opinions on this little boy that might've saved his family. "Well, it's clear that the Malfoys have endured a lot of struggle with their last name," Potter begins. "And that's what sparked Cox's aggression towards Draco—he recognized him. It wasn't Draco's fault that Cox had suffered debilitating injuries, but it also wasn't his fault that Astoria was eternally cursed either. The Malfoys were not the epitome of Dark Magic. I hold a great deal of respect for them and their bondage—they were willing to give up their lives as long as they could stay together during the War. Narcissa Malfoy saved my life when she lied to Voldemort about my condition; thus earning her the title 'The Woman Who Stopped the War'. But yeah, they've had to endure a lot of harshness from the world after Voldemort's defeat." When we asked him about Scorpius, his face brightened. "My children and my nieces and nephews are all friends with him at school. I never really knew much about him—he always seemed like a quiet kid. But whoa, walking into that restaurant after the duel—it was pure proof that Scorpius had strength no one could deny." So what did Potter say to the young child that had stopped a murder? "I told him that he was a real Gryffindor, and that he'd better believe it after his brave actions. Cox attempted to use an Unforgivable Curse on Draco. But Scorpius used a _Protego Horibilis _charm in retaliation—something he'd only read about but never actually cast. It's extremely difficult because it repels all Dark Magic. How a young little guy like that knew to call upon it is true courage."_

_Cox was sentenced to life in Azkaban during a recent trial at which Potter testified. Scorpius was not present, and his parents kindly asked not to interview him for the Prophet. "We just want him to be comfortable with all these new things swirling around." Draco says. "We don't want to push him." It's clear that this family has a strong connection. Scorpius may have just cleared the black mark beside the Malfoy name away with his heroism and bravery in protecting not only his family (selflessly, at that) but the other patrons at the restaurant. It is clear Cox was unstable—he could've turned on anyone after Draco was dead. People everywhere are thanking little Scorpius Malfoy for his deeds and for inadvertently reassuring them that the Malfoy name is not tainted as it once was. He radiates good from all around."_

Scorpius felt his eyes water a bit as he read. James patted him on the back; apparently he was too teary to say anything as well. "Proud of you," he whispered in a choked voice. Scorpius just smiled in gratitude—he didn't know what to say when other students and even some teachers repeated similar things. He understood the part about his last name being cleared by his good actions, but how did so many people know?

Albus and the others hurried off to share the copy of the Prophet with Lorcan and Lysander as they walked to class, so Scorpius took to the corridors himself. He'd almost…just almost made it to The Care of Magical Creatures class when a roll of parchment tapped his shoulder. He turned around. A silence fell between him and the person despite the bustling of the other students around them. "Hello, Joseph." Scorpius said quietly. Zabini nodded. "Hey, Scorpius." Another silence. "Er…I saw you were in the paper today." Zabini went on. "Did you get a copy?"

"Actually, Rose brought me one. So yeah, I did."

"Oh…er…well I er bought an extra one for you to have. Not every day you get your face on The Daily Prophet. I just thought maybe you'd like to keep it around and hang it in your dorm or something I don't know."

"O-Oh…thanks, Joseph."

After Zabini handed Scorpius the extra newspaper, the small blonde turned to walk away. Even though he was portrayed as 'Mr. Brave' to the Wizarding World, something about Joseph Zabini still made him nervous. "Hey, Scorpius? That was really Gryffindor of you." the tan boy called. He stopped. "A Slytherin could've done that too," Scorpius replied honestly. His Daddy was brave even though he was in the Serpentine House. Zabini shrugged. "I just…I think you're really meant to be a Gryffindor. And I guess I sorta thought you were different all along. That's why I started making fun of you—I knew you weren't like anyone else. So I tried to make that a bad thing. But really, look how good it turned out to be." Scorpius faced him. The bell had already rung for class, but he felt being late for the first time ever was worth it if he got to talk to his enemy like this. "Slytherins are the best judges of character. I knew that, and I was worried that the way you perceived me was the way everyone else did too. That's why I had such problems." he answered.

"We are good judges, and I could instantly tell you were something else. I guess…I guess like I said before, I let my mum's grudges grow a garden of despise inside of me towards you. It clouded my vision. I thought it was bad you were different. But you're good. You're really good."

"What did you have against my father all that time? And my mother? I could understand that you were taking it out on me, but what was there to be upset about?"

"Listen, this is weird to say…but my mum used to date your dad. And she thought he was the greatest thing since pumpkin juice. But he had other stuff to do, you know all the Death Eater stuff he was responsible for, and he inadvertently pushed her out without meaning to. So she got upset, especially when my dad and yours were still friends. And that was just sort of the dynamic there. One really liked him, the other was mad."

"And my mother?"

"Mum would always say that your dad had a temper—she convinced me that he'd hexed your mum on purpose when he was angry. Clearly that's not true. She was just jealous, obviously. I guess I was jealous too—your mum would always write to you, she was friendly to everyone, and she just loved even when she was so sick she couldn't walk. My mum complained a lot, made people mad, and judged too quick."

"…Joseph, are you trying to apologize?"

"…Yeah. I am. Scorpius, you have every right not to forgive me, but just please remember that I tried to earn back your trust. I was stupid and jealous and rivaled and young. Can you forgive me?"

"…Yes, I can forgive you. As long as you promise it won't happen anymore, even when we're adults."

"It won't. It won't ever. I won't say anything about you unless it's beneficial—nothing that's going to hurt you. I promise. Thank you for forgiving me. You've…you've got a heart like both of your parents' combined."

And with that, Scorpius Malfoy and Joseph Zabini hugged.

"Are you still having trouble eating?" Zabini murmured with a smile. Scorpius chuckled. "A little. I'm getting better though. I ate two meals yesterday; it just gets hard when I'm stressed or nervous—that's when I have to throw up and stuff." he replied. Zabini squeezed him a little tighter. "Good, I was afraid you'd be this skinny forever." The pair laughed a bit, then broke apart. Suddenly Scorpius felt a hand slip into his. A giggle sounded near his ear. "Come on, Scorpius! Hagrid's been wondering where you are!" Chrysanthemum bubbled, bouncing as she held his hand. He smiled. "Alright, I'm coming." Zabini nodded, then took a separate path from the couple.

Scorpius swung her hand as they walked along. "Did you like Dad's article today?" she asked cheerfully. "Oh yes," Scorpius replied in earnest. "It was so nice of him to write such truthful and honest things. I really appreciate that—he helped in clearing my surname. That's what people needed to hear." Scorpius answered, squeezing her wrist in a gentle, loving way. "I'm glad." she said. "My family's all about truth. We don't like hiding things, and talking makes us feel a lot better. Dad's got the perfect job for that, and mum too, considering she's his editor!" The two shared a laugh. As they approached the forest, Scorpius felt a bit better about his relationship with Zabini—at least they'd sorted things out. His family's status was looking up. There was just one more thing he'd have to do before feeling completely free…

He had to be as honest with Chrissy as she was with him, and tell her about his eating disorder before things went any further.


	18. Year 5: Early October

**Sorry this one's so short, but it's another one of those transitions chapters. I think you'll really like it. And don't worry, the next chapter will end up being pretty deep and heavy so if that's your thing just hang on. I'm really really thankful to ALL of my reviewers - it helps me so much to hear from you and I honestly appreciate your feedback so much. Thanks for all of your support! I hope you like this chapter. :)**

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Chrissy giggled as Scorpius pulled her along through the gently falling colored leaves. They were on their way to Hogsmeade for a lovely lunch somewhere—and since they were now both fifth-years, they knew their way around like the back of their hand. Scorpius was mainly running towards the newly reconstructed Three Broomsticks because he had a large amount of energy pent up inside of him; it was nervous energy. He was about to have a talk with his Slytherin friend that he hadn't had with anyone else before, not even Albus, James, or Rose. This was deep. Personal. And all he could do was hope she'd understand and not let it form a rift between them, especially since he'd been portrayed as being so brave.

Scorpius held the door open for her gentlemanly, and smiled politely at any friends she waved to once inside. Chrissy was pretty popular for her writing in the school's newspaper. "Where would you like to sit?" she asked the little blonde with her. Normally, he would've encouraged her to choose any seat she liked, but that day, he took the lead and sat them down at a small table apart from most of the patrons. He wanted privacy. After ordering two butterbeers, Chrissy's brow creased with worry. "Are…are you alright today, dear? You seem a little nervous." she commented. He tried to look anywhere but at her. "Yeah," he replied. "I-I'm fine. I promise. It's just the whole date thing, you know? I mean, I'm not embarrassed to be out with you, it's just my own personal sort of issue. That doesn't have anything to do with you or us." Chrissy leaned over, wrapping his hands in hers. She spoke in a soft voice. "Scorpius, we don't have to try anything physical too fast if—"

"No, no it's not that!" he blurted, immediately turning red. He knew what she meant, but he just didn't want her to have to go through with saying it when that wasn't the actual problem.

Within minutes, their butterbeers arrived as well as the meals they'd ordered. Chrissy had chosen a delicious-looking turkey sandwich, while Scorpius picked away at a small salad. They talked like usual, laughed some, and didn't get serious again until Chrissy looked at his plate. "Do you not like it?" she asked innocently. Scorpius drew a deep breath. "That's what I want to talk to you about," he answered. Clearly a little nervous, Chrissy put down her silverware to just listen to him speak. "Say whatever you need to tell me, dear." she murmured.

"Remember at the Yule Ball last year, when I ran from the dinner table and told you I couldn't talk about why? I'm ready to now." Scorpius said, calling upon every ounce of his bravery. His hands shook. "Everyone has pointed out my courage and displayed it everywhere, claiming that I'd 'found' myself, while others say that I had it in me all along. Chrissy, I've been brave on the outside, but super weak on the inside. For years, I haven't been able to eat right. Stress prevents it. But I started starving myself on purpose when I didn't make the Quidditch team second year. Joseph Zabini started making fun of the weight I was trying to put on to play Seeker, but once I was denied, I felt like I was getting…well, fat. So I stopped eating. I made myself throw up. And eventually…I…I tried to kill myself."

Here, Chrissy gasped and stuck both hands onto her face to cover her gaping mouth.

"I know, I know you may think that's awful. But Professor Longbottom stopped me. He saved me from myself, and he continues to support me to this day. Sure, while I'm not suicidal now and all the depression's gone, I still have come of the…repercussions of it. My mum's really, really sick and my dad has a hard time dealing with that and the stress of his life. That stuff worries me. And honestly…it makes me weak. Because it flares up the urge to resist food or to throw it up if my body tricks itself into thinking I ate too much. Chrissy…I'm not brave though-and-though. I'm weak. I…I have an eating disorder."

Again, Chrissy gasped, except this time her hands were already covering her mouth so all she had to do was squeeze her eyes closed. Scorpius let a silence fall so she could just take this all in. It was a long while during which all he could do was continue to cut up his salad into tiny pieces without consuming any more. Finally, she opened her eyes and lowered her hands from her mouth. "Why didn't you tell me right away?" she asked in a strained voice. The tears were already sprung into her eyes. Scorpius sighed—he'd feared this sort of reaction. "It's not easy coming to terms with. Admitting, actually. Father made me look in the mirror every day and say 'I have an eating disorder' to my reflection—it took a solid seven weeks to successfully say it without bawling halfway through." Scorpius explained.

"But…h-how much can you eat now?"

"I hit a new record this summer. I ate two meals and a snack; I'm getting better. I'm really trying to fix this, I promise."

"Y-You…you don't have to fix anything about you….I mean, I don't care what you are as long as it's not hurting you. And this is hurting you. So I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you get past this."

"Chrissy, I knew you'd want to help, but all I can do is just prepare myself and do it alone."

"You never have to do anything alone, dear. Not while I'm with you."

"That means a lot, Chrissy."

She squeezed his hands for a long time as another silence fell. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you right away." Scorpius whispered. She sniffled a bit, giving him a watery smile. "Don't apologize, Scorpius. You were right when you said it was a hard thing to admit. I understand that."

"Albus and James don't even know."

"Your best friends don't?"

"Not a soul. Zabini does because he found me throwing up at the Yule Ball, but we've gotten past that now. It's safe to say I've never actually admitted to someone that I have a problem. You're the first."

"I'm so proud to hear you say that—you're doing it. You're taking steps to make yourself better."

Chrissy dried her eyes on her sleeve, being extra careful not to mess up her careful makeup-job. She smiled at Scorpius. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you. I'm here when you're forcing yourself not to be hungry, I'm here when you're throwing up, I'm here when you're eating kilograms of chocolate cake—I'll always be around if you need me. If you want me." she promised sincerely, looking deep into his eyes. Scorpius found himself getting lost in them. "Of course I want you," he replied. "I was just always afraid that if you saw what I looked like without my robes covering how much weight I've lost, you'd find out about the problem in a non-healthy way. I wanted to tell you before you saw it yourself." he answered, instantly blushing again. But she did too, so he felt a little better. "Now that I know, I'll help you fix it." she assured him. When a waiter walked by, she waved her hand, asking if they could have a brownie brought over to their table to split. The moment it was delivered, she guided his hand to scoop up a corner with his fork. She gave his fingers a loving squeeze. "You can do it. I believe that you can." she whispered, her smile warming him from inside and out. He hadn't eaten any of his salad, but he supposed that a brownie would make up for it, right?

Scorpius took a bite of the dessert, smiling when Chrissy beamed at him. It took him a little while to swallow it, as he wasn't so used to eating such pure sugar directly. He chuckled a bit. "I want to make you proud that you're dating a Malfoy." he told her. Chrissy pressed a light kiss to his knuckles. "Then you don't have to do anything to change—I already love the Malfoy I'm seeing." she whispered.

Scorpius could've choked right there.

"W-Wait," he stammered, hoping and praying that he'd heard her correctly. "You…_love_ me?" Chrissy's face turned about four shades of red in only two seconds. She fidgeted with her napkin, pretending to wring out any crumbs and then smooth it back onto her lap again over and over. "…Yes." she replied in a barely audible voice. Scorpius gasped. "Really? W-Well…that's great! I was going to tell you that I loved you as well, but I wanted it to be during a romantic time! Like after lunch when we'd be walking through those tall trees that shed those nice leaves as we pass…I was going to look over and just say it. Right there. But you took the words right out of my mouth!" he gushed, relieved that not only did he not have to worry about saying it first, but that she actually returned his sentiments. He and Chrissy giggled and blushed like ten-year-olds, both incredibly happy and in love.

A waiter came by to clear away the empty cups. He smiled when he saw the two of them and the looks on their faces. "First kiss?" he asked. Chrissy and Scorpius were too nervous and excited and wow that Scorpius just replied a small "Yeah," The waiter kept grinning as he walked away with the cups. Chrissy started laughing at her friend's little lie. Scorpius took her hand. "Come on, let's go somewhere private—where people don't ask stupid stuff like that." he giggled. The pair left The Three Broomsticks and headed back towards the Hogwarts castle, holding hands and bouncing happily the whole way. As they were about to approach Filch to be checked for foreign objects, Scorpius stopped under the tall trees that were showering them with crispy autumn remnants. He looked at her directly in the eye. "I love you, Chrissy." he said. She giggled again, but allowed herself to be pulled into a gentle kiss on the lips. For some reason, she enjoyed the sensation a little bit more now that she knew her boyfriend might not have been with her if his plans of suicide had gone through all those years ago. She was glad to have his fragile, bony hand in hers as they headed back to their school.


	19. Year 5: Late April

**Hey! Sorry this is a bit of a short chapter, but I wanted to add a little bit of suspense and I had to set up for it somehow. Thank you as always for the reviews and support! Feel free to make speculations at the end - and let me know what those are! You may just determine the outcome! :)**

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_Scorpius felt eyes upon him, turning to trap him in their gaze. A lot of people were looking at him, actually, which honestly started to terrify him. A boy—was it Albus?—appeared to have the most intense stare. Something made Scorpius run. He saw himself flying through the corridors of Hogwarts, breathing heavily, desperately reaching for something that wasn't there. Then suddenly, the vision shifted. Scorpius was no longer in travel; instead, he was standing in front of a wall. Just a plain wall. He felt his eyes close. He began thinking about something subconsciously, wondering what it was that he was trying so hard to focus on—whatever it was he couldn't fully grasp. But it must've worked, because when he opened his eyes a door was exactly where the wall had been flat just seconds ago. He saw his hand reaching for the doorknob. It certainly didn't look like his hand—it was very thin, but a little bigger than his own. It was shaking. Scorpius watched as the door opened, gasping when a gigantic room full of dusty objects came into view._

_Scorpius stepped inside the room as the quiet slam from behind echoed in reminder that he was completely alone in this strange world. He wasn't controlling his movements. He walked towards a very tall rectangle that stood proudly out from the rickety magic lamp, the old broomstick (wasn't that model banned from Quidditch?), a strange-looking diadem, a few half-empty vials, some preserved insects, and the other bewildering items that adorned the walls and shelves of this ancient museum-type room. Those same bony hands reached out. They yanked a filthy blanket off of the rectangle, revealing a box, almost like an oversized wardrobe, with double doors._

_And then suddenly he felt himself crying._

_They weren't just tears of sadness or anything like that—he truly felt a sensation he hadn't been visited by for a while; uselessness. Like there was no hope, no light, no choice. The tears flowed down his face endlessly, and he heard choked sobs coming from his own throat. Scorpius again couldn't figure out why he was crying, or why he kept pointing a wand at the strange chest and wailing out incantations that did absolutely nothing. What on earth was going on? "I-I don't want to!" the sobs begged. But there was no one around to hear it. Was that even Scorpius's voice? It sounded a little like it—maybe a bit deeper. "I c-can't! I can't and I won't and I don't want to!" it cried out. "Why did you have to get sent to Azkaban, Father?! Why did you do this to me?!" And then it hit him. This wasn't Scorpius's dream at all; this was Draco's memory. As the realization dawned on him, the vision shifted yet again. This time he was in the same strange room, except the lighting indicated that it was night—everything looked a little dim. He was ducking behind a tall shelf of the weird objects, staring intently at that same cabinet._

_The doors slowly swung open._

_A few large bodies pushed their way out, looking around greedily. Scorpius was frightened. Or was it Draco that was frightened? It was probably both. A woman with long, curly dark tresses stepped forward very near to where he was hiding. She had dark eyelids and wore a triumphant sneer—as if a long awaited event was approaching. Scorpius trembled. Suddenly, he was off running again, tearing through the corridors of Hogwarts in the very low light, heart pounding in his chest and lungs burning. What was going on? He recognized the door to the astronomy tower, and when the bony hands pushed it open, he immediately made eye contact with another man. Wasn't that the man that was pictured in one of those frames that hung in Headmistress McGonagal's office? He gave Scorpius a kindly look, just as he always did in the photograph. Even though Scorpius knew he wasn't himself—he was his father._

The small blonde's eyes shot open in pure terror as he woke from his dream. It was still dark—morning was hours away. What on earth did happened? He knew the story of his father's time at Hogwarts, but that mysterious room that just appeared out of nowhere, that woman that looked so deliriously evil, the gentle face of someone who knew they were going to die—what was all _that_? Scorpius realized that he'd awoken in a cold sweat. He laid still for quite a very long time (partially just to be sure that he was himself again) before deciding he couldn't just go back to sleep normally. He needed comfort. Scorpius didn't stand for being babied anymore; not since his confrontation in the Three Broomsticks. But he still had his vulnerable times, as everyone did, except his came in the form of nightmares. Ever since he was a child he'd have excruciatingly horrible night visions that terrified him inside and out. These things just didn't cure themselves. They had to be chased away.

So Scorpius went to the one person that was easily accessible and one of the most trustworthy. He slipped onto Albus's bed, gently shaking the tired boy. "Albus?" he breathed so as not to wake the others. The dark-haired one took in a deep breath, rolling over and stretching. "Scorpius…that you?" he mumbled sleepily.

"Yes, it's me. I need you."

"I promise I'll study for the OWLs in the morning, Rosie. I've got plenty of time—almost a month."

"No, Albus, it's still me. Still Scorpius. Can you wake up? Please? I had another nightmare."

Albus rubbed his eyes, letting out a big yawn. "Oh hi, Scorpius. What brings you here?" he asked through tired eyes. Scorpius sighed. He laid down beside his friend, allowing Albus to pull the covers over him. "I had another nightmare. Except this time, I wasn't myself. I was my father." he explained. Albus gasped. He was clearly more awake now. "What do you mean? Was it a vision? A memory? A…foresight?"

"I don't think it was a foresight. I know it was in the past because of what he told me. Besides, I'm no seer."

"True…so you think you lived out one of his memories?"

"I suppose so…"

"…That's strange, Scorpius. It must not have been pleasant either—you're shaking like a leaf!"

"There were things I'd never heard about before…

"Hey, it'll be alright. We have Divination tomorrow—maybe Professor Terwether will help you dissect it. Still doing your dream journal assignment thing?"

"Yeah, I'm still doing it. Are you?"

"Are you kidding? I gave up on that weeks ago. I make things up every now and then to make it look like I'm doing the work, but half the time I'm sleeping I'm not dreaming."

"What would Rose say about that?"

"Probably Avada Kedavra, or Sectumsempra."

The two shared a slight laugh. Albus patted his friend's shoulder. "Just keep it in mind for class tomorrow, and then you can sort it out." he advised. He didn't wait for Scorpius to leave, not did Scorpius feel it was necessary. They were best friends, after all. Both had girlfriends (well, Albus called his own relationship just as 'seeing someone') so they didn't see a problem with just passing out on the same bed. What did it matter? Scorpius felt a little better knowing that his teacher might help him figure out the meaning of his vision. He easily fell back asleep knowing his friend would wake him should another nightmare return.

The next morning, the children sat in Divination class on the pillows and floormats spread out for them. "Students," the teacher's high-pitched voice tittered. "I would like you all to map out a dream that you've keep in your dream journal for the past few weeks and decipher it using the key I've taught you. I'll be coming around for assistance and to make sure no one's trying to trick me—I will find out!" Albus rolled his eyes and smirked when she turned around, causing Scorpius to smile a bit. Someday Albus would get caught, but maybe he'd be slick enough to get by. Who knew. Scorpius leaned over to him as they shared a desk. "I'm going to use the one I had from last night." he shared. "Maybe if I'm seeing it wrong, she'll help correct me and give it a bit more meaning." Albus nodded in agreement. "That's good," he said. "Then maybe she'll tell you how to fix it. As for me, I'll be using one I made up—I'm eating a cheese sandwich, when suddenly a daisy's head starts swelling and bursts into a caterpillar. Weird enough to have multiple meanings, deep enough to be passed off as real, easy enough to get a good grade. My dad taught me well." he said. Scorpius grinned again.

Professor Terwether stopped in front of the two boys. "Mr. Malfoy? Your dream interpretation?" she asked with her hand out. He looked up shyly. "A-Actually, I was wondering…er…if you could give me some help. My dream is a little difficult, because I feel like it's not mine. I-Is it ok if you just…take a look?" he stammered, not knowing how she'd really react to such a question. After a few seconds, her face lit up. "Of course, dear boy, of course! Anything to help a student. Now let me see what you have written down…." As she read over Scorpius's sample, he tried to watch her face for any signs of fear or shock. She was a nice woman in general, and always eager to help. It was probably why she was Hufflepuff's Head of House. "Oh my…apparently you had what's called…a Hereditary Recollection Sequence." she explained, reading and rereading. Albus leaned in a bit to hear what she had to say. "Yes, yes…you said the hand wasn't yours…the voice wasn't yours…" she said as she went. "But it was recognizable, yes? Ah, it was your father. Did you father ever talk to you about these situations that you saw?"

"Briefly, but not in the detail I've seen in my dream." Scorpius answered.

"Ah, yes, that's why. It's because you're born with it. There is a time frame for these memories—I assume your father was your age or close to it when this was occurring."

"He was in his sixth year, ma'am."

"And you're in your fifth…oh yes, this is very much the case. Mr. Malfoy, let me explain to you what a Hereditary Recollection Sequence is. It's basically a string of memories that either greatly disturbed your parent, or brought them great joy. The memory was burned in their brain, so to speak—it's something that will never fade. It was _that_ important. So when a child is created, that strong impression is transferred to the baby, but often doesn't make its presence known until the proper timing—and that could be different for everyone. For you it happens to simply be age. This is known to only happen to children with magical parents—purebloods, to say the least. It's a strange power that many don't know they have, and many don't take into consideration. I'm glad you brought this up with me."

"Will I see the sequence again? Or will another come?"

"It's unclear if another will follow, but that same sequence will not be repeated—it's been used and gone. I suggest bringing this topic up with your father, explaining to him what the condition is called and asking him what everything meant and why it was so important. Maybe then you can get some clear answers."

"Thank you for your help, ma'am. I'll talk to him right away."

Albus and Scorpius shared a very intrigued and surprised expression. They knew this was something that Draco would have to talk about—and it may not be entirely easy for him. Especially since that particular string of memories was literally almost burned into his brain; it had to have a purpose.


	20. Year 5: Later April

**I like the speculations so far! I'm going to leave you hanging again, so let me know how you think everything's going to turn out! I really really emphasize the importance of my readers choosing where they want the story to go, not in a create-your-own-journey kid of way, but more like if you want something to happen, I'll do my best to write it so everyone will be happy. So let me know! That might just determine the rest of the storyline...**

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Scorpius wrote to his father immediately after the class. He sent his owl off quickly to hopefully get a response by the end of that night, so that he and Albus could figure out what the dream meant. Anxiously he waited at dinnertime for his owl to return (as it usually did) with a response—any time he wrote to his family he had a reply waiting for him just hours later. But nothing came. Albus glanced sideways at him at dinner as Scorpius pushed food around on his plate. The blonde boy bit his lip; why wouldn't anyone from his family talk to him? Why was this such a big deal?

That night before bed, Scorpius climbed up onto the windowledge in Gryffindor Tower, just sitting and watching the dark sky for a flicker of a gray owl with a letter attached to its leg. Albus was writing in one of his textbooks. Rose was reading and rereading. Lily and Hugo were playing a game of Wizarding chess (which Lily was pouting over because she was losing) as James looked on. Without warning, he stood up. James walked over to the window and put a hand on the tiny boy's shoulder. "Is everything ok?" he asked softly. "You seem a little isolated from everyone tonight. Something going on or do you just need space?" Scorpius looked up at the older boy, gray eyes sparkling a bit. "No, I'm just waiting for a letter." he answered as vaguely as he could. James frowned sadly. "From Chrysanthemum?"

"No, I talked to her after dinner tonight. We went for a walk and studied for our OWLs. It's just a letter from home."

"Oh…mum and dad doing alright?"

"They're fine, I just had a question for them. Usually they answer back right away, but it's been a long time since I've heard from them. Longer than usual."

"I'm sorry, Scorpius. Maybe your aunt visited with the baby and they're preoccupied with that. You know how your mum gets when she sees a baby."

"ALBUS SEVERUS POTTER I AM ASHAMED OF YOU!" Rose's voice bellowed from across the commonroom. Both James and Scorpius turned around to see Albus blushing like mad, Rose pointing at his textbook. "DO YOU REALLY EXPECT TO PASS YOUR OWLS BY DOODLING IN THE BOOKS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE STUDYING WITH?! WHERE IS YOUR COMMON SENSE?!" The redheaded girl confiscated his doodling quill and slammed the book onto his lap, earning a pained expression from her cousin. She swiftly gathered up her own textbooks and parchment, patted her brother and younger cousin's head goodnight, and stormed off to the girls' dormitory without looking back. Her long red waves danced behind her as she hurried off. Albus sat there with his jaw hanging open. James didn't say anything; he felt Rose's scolding was sufficient enough for one night. Lily giggled at her brother's misfortune at getting caught—her concentration broke just long enough for Hugo to capture her Queen with his Centuar.

James waited a few seconds before turning back to Scorpius and looking out the window with him. "I think you should get some sleep," he murmured gently. He knew how Scorpius felt about being babied nowadays, but he also knew of the boy's determination—if he wasn't brought up to bed he'd simply wait at that window all night. Scorpius sighed heavily. James tried to smile, touching his arm gently. "If a response comes, your owl will know how to get in. Perhaps he'll even bring it straight to your bed before heading to the owlry. It makes me nervous to see you worry, and it makes me sad to see you depriving yourself." Scorpius turned to look at his friend, returning the sad smile. "Alright," he said softly. James lifted him off the windowsill and guided him to the dormitory hesitantly calling back at his other family members that he'd be back down to bring them to bed as well. Albus hadn't moved since Rose's explosion.

James made sure that Scorpius had his pajamas on before leaving. The little blonde slid into bed, sighing heavily yet again. "James?" he called out as the seventh-year left the room. He moved back over to the bed. "Yes, Scorpius?" he responded.

"Do you think something's…wrong again?"

"At home? No, I don't think so. I'm sure your parents are just busy, or perhaps they had unexpected company like I said before."

"You don't think I'll have to do that walk to McGonagal's office again?"

"No, Scorpius, I don't think so. Hey listen, I've got prefect duty tomorrow morning at six, so before I report I'll go up to the owlry and see if yours is back with a response. If it is, I'll bring the letter back and leave it here on the bed as you're sleeping. Alright?"

"James, you don't have to—"

"I don't mind, really. I'm talking to this girl from Beauxbaton's, you know, the one I took to the Yule Ball last year, so I'd be going up to get my letter anyway. It's no trouble, honestly."

"I can't thank you enough."

"You don't have to."

James smiled and tucked the sheet around Scorpius's body before heading out of the dorm to round up the other Potter and Weasley children. Scorpius laid awake for a while, just thinking about his parents and what could be causing such a delay. He'd never had to wait this long for a response to a letter. Was James right—were they really just busy? Or did something happen like a Third Greengrass War? He was half-awake when he heard Albus come in, muttering something like "Study, study, study…may be easy for you but some of us need other outlets…going and making a scene in front of everyone. Wow. What a cousin. Took my favorite quill too." And the sort. But he soon was able to drift off to sleep in anticipation of waking up with a letter on his pillow.

_Scorpius was suddenly sitting at a very long table, full of older adults that mirrored the wicked grins and scowls of each other. He realized he was the youngest one. A man with dark greasy hair and black eyes was looking at him strangely, as if mentally asking what a child was doing in such a place—as if he wanted to take Scorpius away from it all. Someone was walking around the table, but behind the boy. "What say you, Lucius?" a voice hissed. Grandfather? Looking to his left, he noticed that his grandfather was indeed sitting beside him. He appeared a bit younger, but the ragged face and unkempt hair made him seem like a totally different person. Scorpius looked further left and noticed his grandmother sitting there, preventing any tears from spilling from her beautiful eyes. Scorpius realized that Lucius was giving the man behind them his wand, and suddenly, his saw in slow motion Narcissa gently squeezing his husband's wrist—fear in her eyes. He saw the table of people laughing at him and his family, but not that man with the dark hair—he looked disturbed by something. He was still staring at Scorpius. The vision gave a little jolt, and suddenly Scorpius saw a noseless man carelessly flicking his wand, causing a human body to smack dead onto the table. He felt himself fainting._

_When his sight was restored, he found himself in his grandparent's house, huddled close to Narcissa Malfoy. The same woman with the dark curly hair from before was shouting something at three people (was that one James?) who were bound and tied. His grandmother was discretely rubbing his back, but she ceased when the woman caught her attention. "Finish them off! Or if you don't have the guts—"_

_"__Don't you dare speak to Draco that way, Bella." she coldly demanded. Bella? Who was Bella? And Draco? Scorpius realized he was again in his father's shoes. The vision gave a shudder. He then saw the woman—Bella, apparently—laying atop a brown-haired girl, hissing horrible words in her ear about a sword, a vault, a goblin. _

_What he saw next made him want to vomit. _

_The woman took out a knife and began running it through the girl's skin, her excruciating screams piercing the entire room. Then he was running—running out of the big ballroom where they had been standing, down the halls, up a flight of stairs, into a bedroom adorned with green and silver. He flung himself onto the bed, sobbing endlessly. Suddenly hands touched his back. A body pressed onto his. "Shhh…I know, baby, I know. Just be strong. Stay strong. It will all be over soon." his grandmother whispered. "You're loved, Draco. I love you. Your father loves you too, although he was only thinking of himself when he joined the Death Eaters; but now he regrets it. He told me so. He told me last night in bed. You have to dry your tears, love. You can't look weak for the Dark Lord. You'll be punished, remember the last time?" She gently placed a kiss on his throbbing temple, helping him sit up. Scorpius felt himself being rocked gently. She had those tears in her eyes again that weren't allowed to fall. In seconds, the dream altered and placed them all back into that room where the girl was lying on the floor in her own blood._

_Scorpius couldn't hear much of Bella's shouts, but he did see his grandfather baring his Dark Mark and preparing to touch it. The next thing that filled his ears was the tinkling of little screws becoming loosened—the entire chandelier crashed onto the floor. Glass flew everywhere; he felt it sting his pale skin. But Narcissa desperately pulled him out of harm's way, brushing shards off his face. He saw three kids grouping together with a big-eyed house-elf…and then with a snap of his fingers, they disappeared. But along with a knife that Bella had thrown. She smiled wickedly._

_Scorpius was taken to a place where the noseless man was again. He was pacing up and down the row of Malfoys, speaking to them with high disapproval. "—expected you to do better, Lucius. Especially with your past mistakes. And…Draco." The man stopped in front of Scorpius, holding his wand close to his throat. "I expected much, much more from you. You…who holds the weight of your family's survival on your shoulders….what a shame…the boy can just not live up to being a Death Eater. You've raised a failure, Lucius. Why should he even live at all?" And then a searing pain ripped through every inch of Scorpius, igniting every single one of his nerves into fiery explosions._

Scorpius cried out as he was torn from his dream, sitting bolt upright and clutching his arms around him protectively. Without even hesitating this time, he dove straight for Albus's bed. "Albus," he gasped breathlessly. "Albus, it happened again. I had another one. Another one of my father's memories. Oh, god…oh god….this o-one was so much worse….Albus…Albus!" The brown-haired boy sat up, but the moment he registered everything Scorpius had spilled, he put both hands on his friend's cheeks. "Scorpius, Scorpius, breathe! Calm down! You're scaring me!" he cried out.

"_He's_ scaring me! I've seen stuff he never detailed—stuff he never told me about! I…I need my father! I just want my dad!" he sobbed. Albus gently rocked his shaking form, not knowing what else to do. He knew getting James wouldn't be much help—he'd only try too hard to fix everything and feel bad if he couldn't. This was something the two of them would have to do, get down to the bottom of it to maybe stop Scorpius's nightmares and possibly help Draco become at peace with these burned images. Scorpius sniffled. "W-What time is it even?" he asked. Albus craned his neck to see the little clock. "It's…almost six-thirty. But don't worry—it's Saturday. We can just roll over and go back to sleep." he answered. But Scorpius was sitting up instantly. He scrambled over to his bed and frantically searched his pillows. A note. There was a note there. He tore into it, eyes scanning it over and over. Albus yawned while he thought his friend wasn't looking. Waking up was definitely not his thing. Although the bedhead was a permanent look for the day, getting out of bed never was. "Whatcha got?" he asked sleepily, the tiredness setting back in.

"James said he'd bring me a letter from the owl when he was going to his prefect duties this morning. He said he'd leave it on my pillow."

"Yeah, and that's it?"

"…This is from James. He said he found my owl up there in the owlry sleeping, but had no response attached."

"…You think maybe it got dropped?"

"My owl is like me—always double-checking, preventing mistakes. It couldn't have lost the response."

"Maybe…maybe your dad didn't send one."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Albus pulled Scorpius back down onto the bed, knowing his friend was trying to tape his cracking walls back up. It was only a matter of time before all of Scorpius's emotions broke loose—anger, fear, terror, confusion, sadness, desperation. "There's one thing we could do that would be immediate," Albus suggested quietly. The blonde raised tearful gray eyes up to him. "What's that?" he asked. Albus took a deep breath. He knew he could get in trouble for doing this, especially since it wasn't exactly allowed fully at Hogwarts. But he had an inherent disregard for the rules. So he felt his bravery surge. "We're going to have to firecall him when he's least expecting it."


	21. Year 5: Early May

**Sorry about the wait - I just really wanted to put a lot into this one. I hope you like it! Let me know what you think...there is more to come! thanks for the suggestions and the reviews! :)**

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Scorpius and Albus made a plan—they were going to firecall the small Malfoy cottage late at night so as not to get caught or disturbed. They concocted this scheme through breakfast, leaning their heads close together and speaking lowly through bites of toast. But hawk-ear Rose was listening too. "Are you trying to get kicked out before having to take your OWLs? Is that what all this is, Albus? You think you're really going to do so bad that you feel the need to leave school in place of getting low marks?" she asked. Albus rolled his eyes. "Would you get off the test thing, Rose?! Goodness, you'd think OWLs were precious air the way you cling to them so much. Give it a rest." he snapped. Scorpius looked down at his piece of half-nibbled toast, not wanting to get involved in this argument. Rose was silent for a bit. "But you didn't deny you want to get kicked out." she muttered pointedly. Just as Albus slammed his hands onto the table in exasperation, Hugo laughed beside her. "Headmistress McGonagal taught Uncle Harry—and I'm sure that once he was through here, her expulsion bar was raised a _lot_ higher!" he joked. Albus gave his cousin an approving high-five, settling back to give Rose a sassy look. She poised herself and went back to eating quietly while rereading her History of Hogwarts book for the fifth time.

Scorpius kept his eye on the Slytherin table, waiting for Chrissy's subtle signal that she was done eating and ready to meet him outside the Great Hall. He carefully (yet discretely, of course) observed as she chatted with one of the other Slytherin girls, gently set her fork onto her plate, and gather her now long hair onto one side. That was his cue. "Excuse me," he mumbled as he stood up from the table, leaving the arguing Potter/Weasley clan to determine who was actually the best at Charms. Scorpius slipped out of the Great Hall, waiting by the entrance pillars, until he heard quick steps pattering towards him. He turned around. Chrissy jumped up and allowed herself to be caught in a big spiraling hug by her thin love. After pulling apart, she sighed. "That system is so much easier than making that trek through all the different House tables." Chrissy told him. Laughing, Scorpius agreed. It had been awkward before—walking all the way over to the Slytherin table (and being the only one standing up) to meet up with Chrissy only to find out that she wasn't done eating or had already left for class. But their plan was flawless now. Scorpius playfully bowed. "Madam Creevey, may I have the honor of taking you on a study-date today by the Great Lake?" he asked. Chrissy giggled, extending her hand towards him to play along. "Of course you may," she replied. The two joined hands and began to make their way out of the castle and onto the sunbathed grounds of the school yard.

They studied hard, but took intermittent breaks of affection to segment into a new subject or course. Sometimes Scorpius would read aloud from a textbook to Chrissy while she lay on the grass; other times she would give him a Charm and ask him to perform it on a small stick they found. They kept it up all day—from breakfast to about four in the afternoon. Scorpius laid back under the big oak tree with her. "You're so smart," he sighed happily, staring at her with his big eyes. She blushed. "You're smarter than me. Honestly, I think you're going to get better OWLs than that Rose Weasley this time." she replied. Scorpius only laughed—_nobody_ could get better score than Rose Weasley. It was in her blood. The two embraced as they lay there, and eventually Chrissy put her hands on his chest. This was new to Scorpius, so he just sort of stayed there enjoying the feeling. "Are you comfortable with this?" she whispered a little nervously. He nodded, realizing his throat had run dry. "Y-Yeah," he answered. "I'm fine," As time went on though, he came to the conclusion that he was not only fine with it, but he sort of liked it. It made him feel closer to her; that was a good thing. The pair closed their eyes to enjoy the warmth of the spring sun on their skin.

_Scorpius found himself sitting in a small room, his grandmother and the dark-haired woman in the corners. A man was circling him, the same noseless man as before, saying something about joining a group. "…only those with the highest regards. …Your left arm please, young Draco?" he hissed. Scorpius saw his grandmother suppress a wail, the woman (Bella, was it?) wrapping strong arms around her shoulder to prevent her from running towards her grandson…her son. "Ah," the noseless man said coolly. "Mummy trying to save you? Mummy wants to save her precious little baby from a lifetime of indebted servitude to Master that is using you as punishment for your useless father's slip-ups? Don't listen to her, Draco. She didn't even take the Mark." Bella giggled murderously from the distance upon hearing this statement. "No, no." the man went on. "She told her Lord that she would support his escapades, that she believed in his cause of blood-purity, that she was against the protection of the Order of Phoenix…but have you ever seen her left forearm? She didn't take the Mark. I guess there are…several Malfoys that need punishment…and who better to do it through than the baby?" He pressed his wand against Draco's throat. "Be strong," he heard Narcissa whisper. But Bella silenced her immediately._

_Every last inch of strength was taken from him as soon as the tip of the man's wand began tracing a pattern onto his left forearm._

_It burned. No, it seared. Scorpius felt himself screaming in the worst pain he'd ever imagined, his heart, soul piercing his own eardrums as they cried out for mercy—that they didn't want to be owned by another. And then suddenly the vision shifted yet again to show another meeting with the noseless man. He felt himself swallow blood, felt tears trickle down his cheeks, sniffled as the red stickiness poured out of his own nose. Did he still have all of his teeth? This time, he couldn't hear much of the man's sneering. He only caught the end. "I am assigning you a task—one that you must complete. If you fail, or if you decide to run away and be a hero like Potter…I will kill your entire family. Mummy will be whipped with Fiendfyre until her flesh peels away, Daddy will be locked in a lasting Cruciatus Curse until he goes insane and begs to be killed…and you…you'll watch all of it before I murder you." Scorpius felt himself shudder as more silent tears poured out. "Do I make myself clear about this? The longer the delay, the more torture until they die. Understand?" the man hissed. Scorpius nodded brokenly._

_"Now then…your task. Draco Malfoy, unless you want your entire family brutally murdered before your eyes, you will kill Albus Dumbledore by the end of your sixth year of Hogwarts."_

Scorpius's eyes snapped open and he shot up, accidentally shoving Chrissy off of his chest. She gasped as her head hit the grass. "Scorpius!" she cried out upon seeing his panicked state. She wrapped her arms around him and stroked his hair. "Darling, what's wrong? Tell me what's wrong! Did you eat today? Did you eat enough? Are you in a coma? Scorpius, Scorpius please talk to me! Say something, you're scaring me!" she wailed, tears spilling freely. Scorpius finally managed to gasp out a small "I'm fine," before turning to look her in the eye. "I-I…just had a nightmare, I suppose….I guess I drifted off a bit…" But she wasn't buying it. "Scorpius, this was far worse than a nightmare. I can see it in your eyes. You're so disturbed….Oh, I bet it was all this studying! You're stressing yourself out! You are the best Gryffindor out there, the smartest, please don't worry anymore about these OWLs! Oh, Scorpius. You need a break. A long break. Come back to the castle with me and I'll bring you to your commonroom. Let's go find James." she urged, pulling delicately on his arm. She always worried about him extensively. But Scorpius was too transfixed to argue or assure her he was even alright. So he allowed himself to be led back to the castle, walking a bit slower than he thought he was. This was getting bad. He needed to talk to his father.

Somehow, Chrissy managed to find both James and Albus (which was usually pretty impossible, considering one was a prefect and the other was a ladies'-man) and left her boyfriend in their care with a gentle kiss, a thank-you, and a wellness wish. James tried to carry Scorpius—he didn't want him to feel sick or faint or anything. But Scorpius quietly refused, telling them he could walk, but he needed some time alone. The pair brought him to his fourposter. They forced him to lie down, then left him to collect his thoughts and rest as much as possible.

Almost immediately after they left, Scorpius summoned a quill and roll of parchment. He left tearstains all over the paper as he wrote out a simple message home:

_Dear Mother and Father,_

_Please. I need you…_

Later that night, Scorpius was awoken by a gentle tapping on his shoulder from a boy in bed beside him. "Scorpius, wake up! It's after midnight—all the prefects have gone to sleep. It's time!" Albus whispered. The small boy sat up. He realized that he'd missed dinner completely in exchange for passing out in his clothes on his bed. Sleepily he took Albus's hand and let himself be guided out to the commonroom.

He yawned when he saw Albus rummage around in a small sack on the floor in front of the fireplace. "Managed to sneak some in from home," he explained quickly. Scorpius watched his friend sweep the Floo powder into the fireplace, muttering "Malfoy Manor," Suddenly, he snapped to attention. "No, Albus! My parents don't live there—we live in a cottage!" he whispered desperately. Albus's face reddened, but both boys were astonished to see Astoria Malfoy appear in the fire before them. "Scorpius?" she asked softly. "Is that you? Apparently she'd been sleeping as well. "Mother?" Scorpius replied in awe.

"Darling, is something wrong? Why are you firecalling in the middle of the night?"

"W-Why are you at the Manor?"

"Oh sweetheart, we wanted to surprise you after you returned from school—we traded places with Grandmother and Grandfather. We live in the Manor now and they wanted a peaceful little retirement home, which is now the cottage. But you still haven't answered my question."

"I-I…I've been writing to you…and nobody's responded to me…." he sniffled, tears threatening to spill.

"Please don't think we've been avoiding you! It's been busy trying to move in and settle things. We're sorry if we haven't been responding so quickly. We figured you'd understand once you learned about the surprise."

"…Mother, I need to speak to Father."

"…Scorpius you can't. He's been…having a low time recently….He mainly just stays in the library or in a study for the whole day. I can't figure out why. Things are difficult for him right now."

"They're difficult for me too, and you said I'd always come first for you two!"

Scorpius felt guilty playing the only-child card, but the desperation in needing to talk to his father was mounting. Astoria was silent for a little while, then she nodded. "I'll send for a house-elf to fetch him." she whispered. Within mere minutes, Draco's face became visible in the fire. "S-Scorpius?" he asked. His voice sounded brittle. "Father…"

"Is everything alright?"

"…Ye—er, no, Father. I need to talk to you. Alone."

Draco looked behind him and nodded to Astoria, silently asking if she would leave the room. Once she complied, he took a breath. "I'd like to speak with you alone too. Completely alone." Scorpius realized that Albus was still sitting beside him. The boy blushed madly, giving the fire a wave. "Sorry, Mr. Malfoy. I'm on my way out. Gotta go…er…study for my OWLs." he formulated quickly. He bolted out of the commonroom. Draco chuckled slightly—it sounded very hollow. "Gryffindors are horrible liars." he murmured. Scorpius cocked his head. "How do you know?" he asked.

"Scorpius, never has a Potter ever studied for an exam. Ever."

"Oh…right…."

"What was it you wanted to discuss?"

"I…It's these nightmares I've been having."

"I can make you some Dreamless Sleep draught. Perhaps taking it once in a while will settle your mind."

"…Thank you Father, but my Divination professor tells me I get these things called 'Hereditary Recollection Sequences'. They're dreams that are memories—but they're not my own."

"…Go on."

"They're yours. Your memories, your fears, your past. I see things we haven't talked about, and it worries me. It scares me. I can't sleep anymore because I've been getting them frequently. Father…I'm experiencing exactly what you did when you were my age or a little older."

Draco Malfoy was silent; frozen as if Charmed. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Scorpius couldn't think of anything else to tell his father—the rest had to come from him. "I-I…" Draco began softly. Scorpius squeezed his own fingers together. "Just tell me everything, Father. Please." he begged.

"…What…who…what would you like to know about?"

"…I guess…firstly, who was the woman with dark curly hair? She was mean to you, mean to Grandmother, mean to this girl I saw that supposedly had her sword—"

"Her name was Bellatrix Lestrange and she was my aunt!" Why did he sound angry?

"Y-Your…aunt?"

"Grandmother's sister. She was crazy. Out of her mind. Got sent to Azkaban and broke out—never had enough room in that brain for sanity. What else?" he snapped. Scorpius felt a little stung.

"T-There was a man sitting at the big table with us…er with you, I mean. He had dark greasy hair and dark eyes—he watched me, er…_you_, all the time. Why—"

"Severus Snape. He was the one that was the double-agent. I already told you about that."

"Right…er, sorry, Father. And…the room that we went in to look at a big box?"

"The Room of Requirement. It's invisible unless you really need it, and then it transforms into whatever it is you desire. The box was the Vanishing Cabinet—the thing the Death…the followers of the Dark Lord entered through."

"I saw that…we were crying…you were crying and asking why you had to do this…you stood there and said you didn't want to and that you were—"

"Yes, Scorpius, I know what I did! This may be all new to you but it's not for me!"

Scorpius was stung harder this time. Draco wouldn't look at him. He had his head in his hands. "F-Father…" Scorpius whispered, tears threatening to fall. "I just…I just want your help…." Draco sighed. "I know. I can't give it to you. I don't understand why you're seeing these things, but I don't want to talk about the personal stuff. I'm sorry. I can't."

"I have more questions…"

"Please, Scorpius. Be mindful of their nature."

"Y-Yes, Father…er…the man with no nose?"

"The Dark Lord. Voldemort. He was the leader."

"He threatened you more than what you told me."

"I didn't want to scare you as a child."

"And Grandmother never took the Dark Mark?"

"…No. She was the only one with a head in our house. She quietly refused."

"You were all punished a lot by him."

"Yes."

"Why did you cry when you held that older man at your wandpoint?"

"…Because I didn't want to do it. You know that. I didn't want to kill him."

"Was that all?"

"Yes, Scorpius. It's very late—you should be in bed. I don't want you to be tired tomorrow."

"Father, please….I'm trying to reach out to you…"

"I don't need to be reached about this. It's in the past. There are some things that you saw that don't need to be discussed. Now that you've seen them, you know they existed, but they don't anymore. So why keep wanting to know more? It's done. It's over. That's final."

"…What did I do _wrong?_"

Draco sighed. "You didn't do anything wrong, Scorpius. As soon as I read your first letter, I knew what you wanted to hear about. I'm not ready to go there. So I hoped you'd forget about it, but you kept pushing."

"I only pushed because I kept having them!"

"I know. But Scorpius…I'm sorry. I can't say anything about that stuff. It's…too personal. Too deep. I'm sorry."

Scorpius felt his tears falling now. Why couldn't his father just be open with him? He nodded. "Fine," he whispered. Draco sighed on the other end. "Good luck with your OWLs. Do well. We'll write back to all of your letters, so keep in touch." Draco said, still not looking up. "Right," Scorpius replied. He wanted to keep it short. Just like his father did to him. "I'm sorry, son." he offered one more time. Scorpius let out a breath. "…It's fine." he answered after a long moment of silence. Draco turned away and ended the firecall, leaving Scorpius sitting in front of the flickering logs feeling alone, scared, and helpless.

It took a long time for him to pull himself together and head back up to bed. He hoped maybe Albus fell asleep over a book again. But no, the Potter boy was sitting up in Scorpius's bed, waiting for him. "So? What'd he say?" he eagerly whispered as he cast some silencing spells around the fourposter so they could talk. "Hey—maybe all this is caused by your father moving back to the place where all that stuff happened. Maybe it's like a trigger! What'd he have to say about it?" Albus spilled out now that none of the other sleeping boys would be awakened by their talk. Scorpius was wordless as he laid down with his back to his friend, tears slipping down his cheeks constantly. "Scorpius?" Albus asked, leaning closer. "Are you alright? Scorpius?" The small blonde boy heaved a big sob of air. He squeezed his eyes closed and allowed to be pulled into a big hug from behind. "I never understood it before, but the other kids were right all that time," he whispered brokenly. "My father _is_ a coward."


	22. Year 5: Early May pt 2

**I'm sorry, but this is sort of a half-chapter. I needed to add it for clarification. But don't worry! The next REAL chapter will be posted even sooner! Think of this as chapter 21 and 3/4... ;)**

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Narcissa flicked her wand over the top of one of the boxes piled near Lucius's old study in the Malfor Manor. It was Draco's now, and Lucius had asked her to bring some of his own things back to the cottage so Draco could have more space. She watched as the box shrunk down into a small enough size for her to place inside of her purse. "Narcissa?" a small voice called behind her. The woman straightened and turned around, unfamiliar with a person that could own such a broken and sad-sounding tone. Her eyes widened slightly. It belonged to Astoria? Why? She thought the girl would be happy in the Manor. "Astoria, dear. Is everything alright?" she asked. The girl bit her lip for a moment, seemingly trying to restrain tears. She looked thinner, much, much thinner. And that was bad because she didn't have any weight to lose. "It's not, isn't it?" Narcissa attempted. Anything to get this girl to talk. Astoria shook her head, her limp curls dangling weakly. "Darling, come sit on the sofa with me. We'll figure out what's wrong and we'll fix it." Narcissa attempted, leading her over to the sitting room and setting her on the soft chair. Astoria didn't meet her eyes. "I don't know of anything that could fix this," she whispered. Narcissa was wordless, but leaned closer to her from her seat across the coffee table. "Draco is acting strange." Astoria breathed. "He doesn't speak as much, and I've noticed some changes in his diet, his sleeping patterns, and well…our intimacy…"

"And what concerns you most about these things?"

"The fact that he's just staying up in his study all day, or lying in the bedroom attempting sleep futilely. I feel like he's hurting and I don't know why."

"He seems distanced from you?"

"Very,"

"…Have you talked to him about this?"

"I've tried bringing it up, but he tells me that work is stressful and that if he's not talking to me, it's nothing but the fact that he's got a million things on his mind that need some sorting out."

"That is strange…"

"And there's a worse part,"

"Oh?"

"He won't speak to Scorpius."

Narcissa was quiet, nearly stunned into silence. Why wasn't her son speaking to his own blood? The child he loved more than anything? "…Is there a reason?"

"None that I can think of. Scorpius firecalled us late one night just a few weeks ago, and Draco asked me to leave the room so he could speak with him alone. Maybe being around a family of Slytherins has taught me a few things, because I stayed at the door and listened; he didn't cast a silencing spell."

"Good girl. And what happened?"

"Scorpius said that he has nightmares, ones that were once actually real—he's seeing what Draco lived in his teen years."

"So…that includes…"

"Everything,"

"But Draco and Scorpius have talked about this sort of thing before, and Scorpius understood, right?"

"They talked about it in depth, but seeing it happen is worse. Scorpius didn't know what Bellatrix looked like, or even the Dark Lord. And he apparently feels everything that happened to Draco—he cries, experiences pain, numbness, thoughts…everything."

"And Draco became upset?"

"He shut down the conversation entirely. He said it was too hard to talk about."

A silence passed between the two of them. Narcissa knew Astoria wasn't doing well—even during their conversation, it felt like her health was rapidly declining. After a while, the older Malfoy woman took a breath. "I know what you're feeling," she said softly. "Lucius used to do the same thing. With Draco. It would tear me apart because I had no one to talk to with both of them being upset. Dinners were silent, mornings were cruel—I was beginning to wonder if staying was worth it. Not that I would've left at any time, but sometimes if Lucius got irritated with Draco, he'd be agitated towards me inadvertently. Clearly, it's an inherited trait, that stubbornness. Draco has it. Maybe Scorpius does too. I don't know. But I could never do anything—never could speak my mind or tell both of them to stop being so childish. That's just how it was with Lucius being the supreme ruler of the house. I was expected to just be the good wife and mother and be quiet and pretty. But Draco gives you a lot of power; I know you may be feeling quite depleted now, but he's never taken control over all circumstances, and he's always left the door open for you to have a say. So take it. Keep writing to Scorpius as you always do, and tonight I want you to talk to Draco about your feelings—like you did with me right now. You can do that, Astoria." The girl didn't say anything right away. Her eyes were dripping tears and she seemed like she was trying to phrase a response in her head. Narcissa was patient.

"I'm just afraid it's destroying both of them." Astoria whispered brokenly.

Narcissa went around the table to wrap her arms around her daughter-in-law, whispering that everything would work out. "Darling, if this continues…this hardship between Draco and Scorpius…know that you're not alone—you can always come to the cottage with me and Lucius. For tea, for an afternoon, for a day, for three nights…however long you need. We certainly would not mind." she advised. Astoria nodded, tearfully thanking her. She knew that if her health was deteriorating because of this fracture in the family bond, Scorpius's mental health could very possibly be in peril. He'd always had his family behind him if he ever needed help. Now the man he looked up to was too afraid to talk about the past when it was hurting him. No one in the new little Malfoy family was completely fine anymore. That needed to change from the top down.


	23. Year 5: Mid-May

**I tried to get it up as fast as I could! I'm sorry, I'm really not trying to tease you with these chapter endings...I promise that the next chapter will be the last for Year 5 and we'll move on to Year 6. Everything's going to get fixed. It'll all be wrapped up and a new year with new challenges will start. Hope you like this one! Thanks for all the love and support! You mean so much to me :)**

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Albus tucked a corner of his white uniform shirt into his trousers, pausing to lay his robe on his own bed. He crept quietly over to the bed beside his that showed no signs of any morning routine. Before anyone could see, he slipped into it. The tiny boy sleeping under the sheets was unmoving. "Scorpius?" he asked in a hushed voice. Albus gently nudged his friend. "Come on, it's time to get up." The blonde rolled his shoulders, pushing his face away into the pillows. "Come on, Scorpius. We've got to get to breakfast. I think today is a pancake day. You like pancakes, right?" No reply still. Albus sighed, wrapping his arms around his friend gently. "I'm worried about you." he breathed. Scorpius let out an audible sigh as well while tensing his shoulders. "J-Just not hungry…" he whispered. Albus pondered this for a moment—maybe his friend was just too sleepy to want to eat anything right away. It was understandable, right? He placed a gentle, friendly kiss on Scorpius's temple before he sat up. "Alright. If you decide you do want something after all, don't hesitate to come down and meet us. You'll hear Rose yelling at me before you actually see where we're sitting." he advised. Scorpius gave another weak nod. He waited until Albus left his bed and all the movement in the dormitory shuffled into the commonroom.

Once he was alone, he felt that awful sick rising up in his stomach again. God, did he want to eat. But how? He constantly felt nauseas, he had already lost weight just from stress, and all those thoughts of _uselessness_ were returning like morning owl delivery. What would his father say, to see him lying here so pitifully? Wait. He wouldn't say anything. They weren't speaking. Scorpius squeezed his eyes closed as tears began to slip out. He was beginning to have flashbacks of all the times he was so happy with his family: when he'd opened the present containing his Pygmy Puff one Christmas, the time he and Draco attempted cooking dinner for Astoria while she was sick, that moment when he'd gone with his parents to watch a sunset on a hilltop, whenever his father would pick him up over his head and spin him around. Scorpius felt so abandoned. What had he done wrong? He'd only reached out when he was scared, and everything had fallen apart after that. Was he that worthless? That disposable? Scorpius choked out a sob that wracked his entire body in a big shudder. This was _horrible…_

Albus tapped his foot impatiently as he ate his eggs at breakfast. Scorpius still hadn't shown up—this was the eighth day in a row that he hadn't appeared for breakfast. Sometimes he missed a few lunches to "study". Twice he'd skipped dinner because he said he had a headache and needed to lie down. Sure he'd show up to class. But meals were a different story. "Your tapping is slowly driving me insane, Albus." Rose snapped across the table. The Potter sighed in frustration. "Please forgive me for interrupting your reading of the same book for the tenth time." he grumbled irritably. Rose was about to accuse him of being academically lazy once again but was cut short when someone called Albus's name from behind her. She looked up instantly. A slim girl with long brown hair was staring nervously at Albus. She wore a Slytherin robe. Lily nudged him. "That's you," she reminded him of his name. Albus stood up, noticing that almost everyone's eyes were on him and the girl who'd dared to cross the entire Great Hall to seek the attention of a male in the opposite House. The two walked in silence out of the dining area, holding their tongues until they were out behind one of the pillars.

"Why are you—"

"Albus, please, I need your help."

"My help? With what? I'm no good at taking tests so if you're looking for preparation help, you'd find more assistance in speaking with my cousin Rose."

"It's about Scorpius."

"…Oh…you're his girlfriend, I forgot."

"Yes. And I'm very worried. He hasn't been showing up for a lot of meals and in class he looks completely checked out. We don't speak as much anymore. Of course I understand if he's under a lot of pressure to study hard and do well with his OWLs. I just figured maybe you'd know more about that considering you're his best mate and he might feel a little bit more comfortable talking about that kind of stuff with you."

"Right…er…no, he's not really stressed about the OWLs. I mean, I'm sure that's part of it, because he studies super hard, but I think he's got some family problems going on. Just kinda hard for him to take in and stuff."

"He's not eating,"

"Maybe it's ruining his appetite."

"Albus, that's bad."

"Why?"

Chrysanthemum sighed. She knew that Scorpius had told _nobody_ but her (and Zabini by accident, of course) about his eating disorder—not even his friends. She didn't know if it was her place to reveal it to the world. "I'm concerned about his health." she dodged. Being a Slytherin came in handy sometimes. "If he doesn't eat, he'll lose weight, and be more susceptible to diseases. What if he gets ill for his OWLs?"

"Alright, is it all girls that are completely freaked about the exams, or is it just everyone besides me?" Albus rolled his eyes.

"It may be everyone. But I'm being serious. I'm really worried about him."

"I'm concerned too. He was barely even alive when I went in to wake him this morning."

"What?!"

"Er, I mean, as in, he was just so sleepy and run down that it was hard to get him to even talk a little. Not that he was literally dead."

"Oh…"

"Chrysanthemum, I know you're concerned about his mental health. Trust me…you and I both know his secret."

"…He told you too?"

"I was there. I saw him afterwards. That night that he tried to kill himself in the Herbology greenhouse? Yep. That's when I found out about his suicidal thoughts. And I'm sure you know it too…I'm sure he's told you, right? Blimey, it went around school like Fiendfyre—I'd be more shocked if you didn't know."

"Oh, that…y-yeah, I knew about that one."

"He has others?"

"Er…no…I just thought you meant…the incident in general. I didn't know you were talking about the thoughts themselves. Sorry. Misunderstanding."

"Oh, sorry for not being clear. Yeah, I mean his mental health though. His father's not speaking to him because of a whole bunch of reasons—I'm sure he'll tell you once he's better—and it's really hurting him. He just needs a lot of love."

"That's why I came to you. I wanted to do something that would really boost his spirits and show him that he has people that care about him and want him to…stay here. With us. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, I got you. You want to really wow him with love from everyone."

"Thanks, Albus. This is why I came to you. We understand him best. But how are we going to do all that? It has to be something heartfelt…something that we'll do right before OWLs come up so that he'll have a really clear and confident head while he tests."

"That's a super good timing. But it gives us about two weeks to prepare—at the most!"

"Right…and we've got to find a way to reach him. He doesn't even come down to get his mail anymore. Somehow his owl just brings his letters to me—maybe it hopes I'll deliver it to him, I don't know. But I don't read them. I've kept them all in a little stack to give to him when I get the chance—"

"Chrysanthemum, that's brilliant! We'll do it with letters! You and I will have everyone we know write Scorpius a letter, even if it's just two or three sentences, encouraging him or showcasing a time he impacted them or telling him how much he's loved! In fact, we can open it up to anyone—I'm sure more and more people will catch on! We'll make a list to start though, and then we can ask our classmates…"

"Albus, that's wonderful! All of the letters are from his mother, so I'm sure they're full of nice things anyway. So I'll write one, you, Rose, James, Lily, Hugo, those twins…"

"Right, Lorcan and Lysander…the prefects will be into it I'm sure, I could talk to Professor Longbottom and Hagrid—they really like him…yeah, and then we'll tell everyone to do it if they want! That'll be sure to perk him up!"

"Do you think…you could maybe talk to his father? Ask him to send a nice letter? It's really important for Scorpius to see that he still cares about him even though he's having problems of his own."

"Er…yeah, I'll drop him a note. I'll see what I can do."

"For Scorpius,"

"For Scorpius."

"Thanks, Albus. You've been a real help. Remember not to let anything slip to him!"

"I'll keep myself in check, don't worry."

"Albus?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you do one more thing?"

"Sure,"

"…Please, _please_ make sure he eats something. Even if it's just a little bit. He's got to keep something in his belly. Please do it for me. It's super important."

"Sure thing, Chrysanthemum."

The two gave each other a nod and a knowing smile, and headed off to spread the news of their project.

Meanwhile, a tiny blonde-haired boy crumpled onto the floor of the boys' bathroom, having just thrown up the sparse contents of his barren stomach, trying to remember what that spell was he'd attempted to use upon himself to end it all three years ago in the Herbology greenhouse…


	24. Year 5: Late May

**The moment you've all been waiting for! Finally, this is a big one! Like I promised, this is the last chapter for Year 5. Sorry it took so long to get here! I felt it was necessary to build everything up, even though I knew it was going to drive everyone crazy! But things are going to be a lot more sectioned in the next year. Don't worry. I hope you like this chapter! :)**

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To say Rose was frantic was an understatement.

It was the day before OWL examinations began, and she was completely enveloped in studying without end, reading book after book after book. And if she wasn't studying, she was trying to get others to reread their notes as well. Namely Albus. "What on earth are you doing with all those envelopes? Oh god, don't tell me you've written the answers in them and are going to cheat! Albus, how could you! That's—"

"Will you calm down? I'm working on something." Albus shouted over her wailing. Rose did feel a little better than he wasn't planning to cheat his way to a good score, but it didn't mean she wasn't upset about his studying. James entered the library and sat beside Albus at the little table. Rose took this as her cue to leave—she didn't want House points deducted for speaking loudly in the quiet space. Chrysanthemum hopped over and put more envelopes on the table. "And I think that's it." she said, finishing a thought she'd been previously conveying to Albus. James raised his eyebrows. "You two did quite a job here. How many letters total?" he asked. The Slytherin girl beamed. "We scrounged up fifty-six letters—from friends, family, teachers, and even the Scamander twins' mum." she answered thoughtfully.

"Luna? Luna Lovegood-Scamander?"

"Yes. We were surprised too. She must've heard from her sons."

"She has a big heart. …And also quite the brain…so make sure her letter isn't leaking anything weird or whatever…"

"Don't worry, we're doing a see-through spell on all of them to make sure it is all just paper."

"Oh god…" Albus gasped as he sorted through the letters, waving his wand over them.

"What's the matter?" Chrysanthemum asked. She took a seat beside him.

"A letter from Joseph Zabini? Should we really give this to him? Who knows what it says inside….This kid used to bully him relentlessly!"

"I think they're alright now. Did you scan it?"

"Yeah, and it's only a letter, but what if the idiot wrote something nasty? It'll totally backfire our whole plan to cheer Scorpius up."

"Albus, Zabini has changed. You probably haven't realized it since you're not in the same House as him, but it's a total difference. Especially towards Scorpius. When he came back from being so ill that year, I heard Zabini apologizing to him—they agreed to no longer be uncivil. Can we just give it a try?"

"…ugh…Fine."

James began sifting through the pile of approved letters, reading the return addresses. "Hagrid sent one?" he asked. Albus nodded excitedly. "Chrissy and I told him about our plan after class one day. Professor Longbottom sent one too." James again looked a little surprised as he continued shuffling. "Does he know most of these people?" he asked after a moment. Chrissy and Albus looked at each other, smiling a little. "No, not really." she answered first. "But," Albus went on. "That's what makes it more special!"

Chrissy checked her bag one more time to make sure no more letters were left behind. "Did you save the special one out?" she asked Albus. He nodded, gesturing towards his pocket. He turned to James. "I think we're going to need you to get involved. Can you go upstairs to check if he's in bed yet? I believe he goes to sleep early, and since he was too 'sick' to make it to dinner, I reckon he'd be up there. Then meet us out by the moving staircases so we can get into the commonroom without being seen." Albus instructed. James nodded but suddenly froze. "Hold on," he said. "What do you mean _'we'?_" Albus suddenly turned red. "W-Well…you know…I still have Dad's Invisibility Cloak…so I was going to…putChrissyunderitsoIcouldgetherpasttheFatLadyandintoourdormitory." he spilled at the end. James's eyes went incredibly wide. "You were going to sneak a girl…no, not even just a girl, a _Slytherin_ girl past the Gryffindor commonroom and into an all-male dormitory late at night?! Are you stupid?!" he whispered heatedly, remembering that it was his own preference to have silence in the library. Albus blushed still, shrugging without an answer. James shook his head. "No. I'm not allowing it. Think of some other plan—I can't knowingly let an underage girl sneak in there."

"Fine. You go in and tell us if he's sleeping, and then come back out to us by the staircases like I originally had in mind, and I'll bring his owl up so we can put it on his bed. It'll have all the letters attached in a package. That way it can wake him up." Albus said flatly. It wasn't what he'd wanted, but it would have to do. Part of this excursion was pure surprise.

"Much better. But I'm warning you, if that owl gets anything messy in the dormitories—"

"Yeah, yeah, just go do your job already. I'm a Gryffindor—I'm knowingly breaking rules because I can."

James threw him a look before standing up and striding out of the library. Albus put his head into his hands. "I knew I should've got someone more fun to help us." he dejectedly said. Chrissy patted his back. "It's alright. Of course I would've liked to have been there when he opened them up, but I'm sure telling me about it will allow him to relive the excitement again and again." she explained. Albus just sighed. "Just one more year with James here. I love him and all, it's just that I think it's time for him to get a job that'll give him all the authority he wants out in the real world."

Scorpius shivered harshly under the sheets of his fourposter. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't eat, and he was freezing all the time. He'd tried studying, but it was so hard to focus on anything with his stomach moaning and his body wracked with shivers. He hoped he wasn't getting sick. Then he hoped he was and that the disease would just kill him off before anyone noticed. No word from his family for days—it was hurting more and more. And Albus seemed perfectly cheerful and fine without Scorpius around. He decided it would be just so much better if he was dead.

Scorpius felt more tears soak his pillow. He'd become so accustomed to just crying all the time that he barely even recognized when he was doing it anymore. Suddenly something started attacking the outside of his bedcurtains. The thing thrashed and clawed and bit. Scorpius drew the blankets closer to himself and curled into a ball, pulling away from where the disturbance was occurring. He shakily grabbed his wand. A big ball of feathers tumbled through the curtain's parting, flopping onto his bed and shaking it's down out. It looked at Scorpius with surprise and understanding. "What are you doing in here?" Scorpius whispered—his voice was barely even audible after going so long without being used. The owl held out its scrawny leg, and after the big parcel was removed, it gently nuzzled Scorpius's elbow in affection. "Is this really important? Is that why you brought it in here to me?" the boy asked his creature gently. He pulled the string of the parcel with bony fingers. His owl danced happily around in the covers of the bed. Scorpius tore the paper off with some difficulty (he was very weak).

Out of the package spilled dozens of letters, all addressed to him, all from different senders.

Scorpius gasped. How did this happen? He gingerly picked up a letter from Yardley Vane, a Ravenclaw girl who sat behind him in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

_Dear Scorpius,_

_Just wanted to write to tell you that my favorite memory of having class with you was that time in year two when we were learning shield charms, and I had to be the one to cast a spell at you while you blocked it. In front of the whole class. Anyway, you put up such a strong protection that it completely knocked me backwards right onto my rump. You were super embarrassed and so was I, but I remember afterwards being like, 'I want to be as good as that kid some day'. Thanks for giving me the laugh!_

_~Yardley Vane_

Scorpius smiled—he remembered that class very clearly. He kept reading through his letters, which were mainly filled with little short recollections like that, until he came across one with very messy handwriting he recognized all too well.

_Little Scorpius Malfoy,_

_Really hopin' yer doin alright. Jus' wanted to tell ya that I firmly believe yer gonna get an Outstanding OWL in me class. She'll probably kill me fir sayin' this (and her mum might too), but try to beat Rose at top score! I know you could do it! Blimey, you've got brains I ain't hardly seen anymore!_

_~Love, Hagrid._

Scorpius grinned—maybe he could beat Rose at some of these exams. But he had to agree with Hagrid; both Rose and her mother would be very upset if she came in second. Her father might be too, considering he initially didn't even want them to be friends.

_My dear Scorpius,_

_The bravest of them all. You've endured so much, you've gone to great ends to preserve what really means a lot to you. Such a brave, smart boy. I'm so glad to have you in my House. Gryffindor's a much better place for you, and I can tell your schoolwork has improved a bunch since you've switched. Keep up the good work! Know that I'm proud of you, and you'll always have me in your corner._

_~Stay strong,_

_Professor Neville Longbottom_

Scorpius scrubbed at his eyes when tears began to build. He read several more letters from his peers, from younger students that said they looked up to him, from all his friends, his loving girlfriend….everyone really liked him. They respected him, and they were all showing that. Who'd organized this for him?

_My sweet baby,_

_Scorpius, please know that I love you more than anything. It's killing me not to hear from you. All I want to do is just scoop you into my arms and hold you like I did when you were a little toddler. Grandmother wanted me to send you a kiss for her. And Grandfather wishes you luck on your OWLs. I know you'll do wonderfully. By the way, Constantine said her first word the other day. It was 'Mama', like all babies. Uncle Bazel said he sent you a parcel just a few days ago—did you receive it? If not, it should be in your mail call within the next few hours. Please know that Daddy loves you too. He really, really does. And that's why this is so hard for him—he hates having to watch you go through his burdens, his pain. Don't be angry at each other anymore. Please. I love you and if I don't get the chance to speak with you again (which of course I do), good luck on your exams. You're such an amazing boy and Mummy loves you so much._

_~Love forever and always,_

_Mummy_

_P.S Nana and Papa aren't angry at Aunt Daphne anymore. Once they heard Constantine talk it all sort of fixed itself. I know, it's one for the Department of Mysteries, isn't it?_

Scorpius laughed. Nothing like the Greengrass family to swing their moods from a trapeze. He was a little hesitant to open one of the Slytherin letters, as it was from Joseph Zabini and it could really go either way. What memories did they ever share that were good?

_Scorpius,_

_Haven't seen you at meals recently. Hope everything's ok. Not that I'm watching you or anything…just keeping an eye out for you. So…a memory we shared? Ah, honestly I take full blame for creating a lot of bad ones. You never did anything wrong—I just always screwed things up. I guess what I could say is that memory of us when I found you in the bathroom. I know you were scared and embarrassed and angry (all rightfully so), but there was something there that just made me feel really connected to you. When you threw that hex at me, whoa, I was so wishing I had those skills. And it was great to see you put them to use—even on me! I knew right then and there that you had true bravery. Your duel at the Three Broomsticks proved it to the world, but I knew from minute one. In a non-creepy way, I admire you. You just constantly surprise people in a good way either with your words or your actions. And that's really something. Hope you're doing well. See you in class._

_~Joseph A. Zabini_

It really wasn't bad. Sure the entire memory was a bit of a blur to Scorpius since he was in such a mental state, but he could see where Zabini was coming from. It wasn't fake. He was truly being sincere. It made him wonder even more who'd set all these letters together. Who'd even sent his owl in here? Sure enough, one letter he picked up was from his Uncle Bazel; it detailed a lot about luck and skill combining to create good fortune (which was a bit over Scorpius's head, as Bazel was always the philosophical uncle) but he'd also enclosed a lucky pendant that he advised Scorpius to wear as it was made from elm wood crystallized in rose-stone. He slipped it around his tiny neck and admired the way it proudly hung in front of his chest, nearly at his bellybutton. Scorpius's heart suddenly stopped. Maybe this pendant wasn't so lucky after all. The last letter was from his father. With shaky hands, Scorpius hesitantly opened the sealed envelope.

_My dear boy,_

_I would first like to begin by saying that you have wonderful friends that would do this for you. Their concern is heartwarming. I know you're in good hands while you're away from me. Secondly, I'd like to apologize for shutting you out recently. Please be aware that this is a completely informal method of apologizing, and that I will personally do it face-to-face when you return from school. But know that I'm extremely hurt by my own actions towards you, and as I reflect it gets worse and worse. I love you more than anything. I'm only trying to protect you._

_I hope the dreams aren't returning. But if they are, don't hesitate to come to me anymore. We'll work this out. Yes, the woman with the curls you saw was Bellatrix Lestrange—she was my aunt, Grandmother's sister…and as I'm sure you could tell, Grandfather was very easily tested by her. She was Voldemort's most loyal servant, aside from Severus Snape, who wasn't actually working for him at all. Bellatrix was very cruel. That girl you saw being cut by her knife? That was your friend Rose's mum: Hermione Granger-Weasley. Like I said, the woman was out of her mind. Aren't you glad you just have crazy Aunt Daphne only? Onto more serious matters, the Room of Requirement was where you witnessed my breakdown. It's a place in Hogwarts—I'll show you where it is when you come home—that appears whenever anyone needs it. That's where I hid the Vanishing Cabinet. That's where the Death Eaters came through. I cried when I held Dumbledore (that was the white-haired man's name) at my mercy because I knew everyone was coming and they'd force me to do it. Remember when he said he'd hide me and my mother? I was going to accept it. I was going to take him up on his offer and run to him and let him hold me in a hug. He would've. But Severus had things he needed to do—he too was trying to protect me. I made a lot of mistakes in my past, and I think you're seeing them because I moved back to the Manor. Things are haunting me here still….but I'll control it by the time you return. Good luck on your exams. You'll do so well. I'm incredibly proud of you, my boy. I love you so much._

_~Love,_

_Daddy_

_P.S Did you hear the Greengrasses aren't at war anymore? It all got fixed over the baby or something. Talk about needing to get everything together…._

Scorpius smiled bigger than he had in weeks—no, months. His father wasn't angry at him. He still loved him. He recognized his faults and resolved to change them. Everything was ok. It was going to be ok. Scorpius hugged all of his open mail close to him. This was the best thing anyone could've done…and he had a sneaking suspicion of who might've just organized it all. But that would require a lot of planning and work—so it must've been two of his suspects. He felt wave after wave of relief crashing over him. People loved him. He was going to be alright. A renewed sense of hope settled itself into his heart, allowing him to sit up fully and look over at his pillow. He gently folded all the letters (and reread them all, of course) and touched his feet to the floor. He was going to find Albus. Because where there was Albus, there was usually a hidden snack. He could do it. He was going to fix himself again. Because this time, he wasn't doing it alone—he had proof that other people want to help him as well.


	25. Year 6: Early September

**Ok here's the start of Scorpius's sixth year! He's grown up so fast. Please enjoy this chapter! I plan big things for this year, and I can't wait to show you all what I mean by that! :)**

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Scorpius thanked the attendant as she hoisted his trunk up above to the rack hanging overhead. He couldn't believe he still needed help—at least his first year, he had a viable excuse. This time it was all his own fault. He was still too tiny. Scorpius slipped into the cabin and took a seat by the window, gazing out at the train station. He saw his mother clinging to his father, who was holding her as close as possible. He saw his Aunt Daphne and Uncle Theo making Constantine wave from beside them. He felt himself smile a little. The summer had been exhausting—sure, he was glad to be home, but constantly trying to put on a happy face and act like everything was ok completely drained him. He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes.

Within a few minutes, the compartment door opened with a bang. Scorpius's eyes shot awake as he saw his friends clamoring in to all fit into one space with him. "All by yourself in here? You should've come to find us!" Albus roared in laughter. Scorpius gave a slight smile. "I didn't want to intrude," he politely answered. Truthfully, he stepped into the first compartment he could because he was so incredibly weak. But he wasn't about to let that slip. "You couldn't have! But now that we're all here, let's take a moment to appreciate the stunningly humorous haircuts Lorcan and Lysander are sporting due to their mother's heavy hand with the scissors!" Albus led them all in laughter. The twins blushed in embarrassment, but they went right along with the joke—it wasn't their fault their mother enjoyed experimenting with her cosmetic side. Rose bounced to the seat directly across from Scorpius. She focused intently on his face, her expression becoming serious almost instantly. "You know what I'm going to ask you about." she said lowly.

"Indeed I do." Scorpius answered.

"So…?"

"You tell me what you got first."

"I got straight Outstandings. In everything. Well…except for in Care of Magical Creatures…that one was an Exceeds Expectations. Now spill."

"…You're going to hate me."

"Will I?"

"Yes…"

"Try me."

"…I did get straight Outstandings. In everything. Every subject. Even in Care of Magical Creatures."

Rose slammed her hands against her kneecaps in frustration. "HOW?! How did _you_ get all perfect scores?! Especially in Defense Against the Dark Arts?" she raged. Scorpius was suddenly rather wounded by that last comment. It was bad enough she was making him feel a little embarrassed about beating her, but the last bit pushed just a smidge too far. "Just because my father reversed everything he learned in the Dark Arts lessons in the past doesn't mean that I can't do better in them for what they are." he snapped. James felt the tension in the air, so he gently put a hand on Scorpius's shoulder. Rose blushed instantly. "N-No…I didn't mean it like that….I…I'm sorry, Scorpius. I just get too competitive…it gets to my head…." she answered humbly. Scorpius hated himself for snapping at her. But the constant hunger pains and the lack of sleep only contributed to his irritability. Lily glanced around at everyone, desperate to change the subject into something they all could enjoy. "Want to hear a joke?" she asked aloud. They all turned their attention to her. "Albus's OWL scores." she concluded. Lorcan and Lysander high-fived her comedic execution. Albus blushed madly. "They weren't _that_ bad….Dad said they were acceptable…" he offered weakly.

"Tell Scorpius what you got!" Lily taunted.

"Why?"

"Because it's conversation. Do it or I will."

"Ugh, I hate you Lily! I got three Acceptables and one Exceeds Expectations."

"_Aaaaaaaaaaaand…?_"

"…And a Dreadful in Potions."

Scorpius's eyes widened. "You did?" he asked aloud, realizing that probably sounded highly pompous. Albus didn't seem to care though, as he kept picking at his robe distractedly. Lily roared with laughter at her brother's misfortune. He elbowed her in the ribs. "Can it, slugbrain!" he shouted. James sighed at the bickering, turning his attention to his little blonde friend. "So how was your summer?" he asked politely.

"Oh, it was nice. Thank you. How was yours?"

"Ours was good. How's mum and dad?"

"When I arrived at home, my mother was in St. Mungo's. But she only stayed there for a week after I saw her this time, so it wasn't too bad. Father and I visited her every day."

"Why was she in St. Mungo's?"

"Her curse began acting up. It was my fault—and Father's too. We were fighting and it was just literally tearing her apart. But don't worry, we've talked everything over, we're fine now, and she was released and is doing better every day. She's still quite weak."

"And how are you?"

"…W-What do you mean?"

"The last time I saw you was before your OWLs; let's just say you looked quite far from well."

"Oh…that was just stress."

"Did all of your hair grow back?"

"H-How did you know…I lost…my…"

"You could see it, Scorpius. You weighed like nothing and most of your hair was thinning. Not to mention you had a book in your hand every time I saw you. I think the stress of exams really hit you hard."

"Y-Yeah…that's right…"

Scorpius really didn't know what to say after that. Sure, the stress on him was completely awful—but he looked so sickly chiefly due to the fact that he had degenerated back to starving himself, and it caused a multitude of problems for him over the summer. The room suddenly felt very crowded…very stuffy… "Hey, are you alright?" Hugo asked worriedly, catching on immediately. Scorpius nodded. "Yeah…hey, would any of you mind if I spoke to Albus? Alone?" he nervously responded. He could feel his hands shaking. They all rose to their feet, promising Scorpius they'd be back soon. "I've got Prefect duty anyway that I should get to." Rose said. Lorcan and Lysander looked at each other. "We'll go jump the sweets trolley." they simultaneously agreed. "Lily, bring us back a chocolate frog each!" Albus called to his younger sister as she skipped away to follow the mischievous twins.

The moment the car door slid closed, Albus took a seat in front of Scorpius, bending forward so his elbows rested on his knees. "Is everything alright?" he asked softly. Scorpius shook his head. He knew he had to say something to his friend—he had to admit it. It'd been too long and sooner or later they'd all catch on. And what if they decided he was too disloyal to be friends with? "Are things ok with you and Chrissy?" Albus tried, frowning with worry. "No, no. She and I are fine." Scorpius replied hastily.

"I just thought since she wasn't sitting with you…"

"Actually, she was named a Slytherin Prefect, so she's been doing her duties. She promised to stop by later though."

"Good, I was afraid I'd have to chase Lily down and tell her to buy you ten chocolate frogs to help you get over her!"

"…Actually, that's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Really?...Is it something I said? Did I make you uncomfortable?"

"No, not at all. I just…right, when I told James that my mother went to St. Mungo's for a week this summer…I lied. It wasn't my mother that had to go and stay. It was me."

"You? Scorpius, what happened? Are you alright now?"

"I'm doing better, but not perfect."

"Did you try to…"

"In a way…"

"Again?"

"I'm sorry, Albus. I'm really sorry. I thought I wouldn't ever try it anymore, but I did—three years after I attempted it I sunk right back down into my pit of depression. I feel terrible. And I feel horrified at myself for not telling you."

"…No, don't be mad at yourself. It's ok. I'm glad you're here now. I'm glad I can hug you like this. I'm glad you're going to have me to look out for you."

"Father and I worked everything out though,"

"That's good. May I ask…may I ask how you…tried to do it?"

"…And that's the bigger part. Albus, I'm sick. I haven't been fully well since…well, a really long time. Years, I mean. I…I have…I-I have an eating disorder."

Albus sat there, frozen in his seat. He didn't take his eyes off of Scorpius once. The blonde was on the verge of tears—this was so hard to admit to his friend after keeping it from him for so long. He figured Albus would hate him now. It took a long time before Albus leaned back in his seat and folded his arms, letting out a deep breath. "W-Why?" he sighed.

"I don't know…first I started to punish myself for making my parents so ill at the beginning of our time at Hogwarts. Then…I couldn't let it go. Everything bad that happened deserved punishment. I got a little better, but then I slipped again. It's related to my depression. I-I can't help it…"

"…Who knows?"

"Chrissy knows. I had to tell her before we…well, you know…before she saw me without a shirt. I'm disgusting, Albus. I hate that I'm the one that is taking so long for us to move forward with things because I'm too self-conscious."

"Anyone else?"

"W-Well, my parents know…obviously. Mother cries all the time when I throw up. Father I can just tell is hurting. He hates to see me like this. And…er…Joseph Zabini knows. Remember that time at the Yule Ball that I got all those House points deducted because I tried to hex him in the bathroom? He found me throwing up. He said he knew. So…..just please don't be mad at me. It's so hard…telling people. It's so hard living with. I just wish—"

But he was cut off by Albus lunging forward and pulling his frail body into a tight hug. Not just a hug—an embrace. A loving, caring, gentle embrace. He was crying. "A-Albus?" Scorpius nervously asked.

"I'm sorry," the Potter boy gasped out.

"What are you sorry for?"

"For missing all the signs! I figured something was up with you when you skipped breakfast, and would purposefully miss meals, but I n-never attributed it to anything like that! I didn't see it….I could've stopped you…."

"Nothing could've stopped me. I did this to myself."

"No…I could've helped you. I could've comforted you…"

"You did everything you possibly could—right down to all the letters you and Chrissy organized. Believe me, if you hadn't done that…I probably would've killed myself. That night I hadn't eaten anything for nearly two days. I figured I'd go one more of just lying in bed and die there before anyone found out. I swear. You did save me."

Albus pulled away and took Scorpius's thin face in his hands. "No…we're going to fix this. We're going to do this together. I'm terrified for you."

"I have to do it alone. It's a psychological sickness—nothing can cure it simply. Just seeing that I'm loved isn't going to make my stomach hold down a chocolate frog. It's automatic that I throw up. I have to fix it myself, Albus. I'm sorry."

"Well I'll be there to support you every step of the way. Whenever you need me, I'll be right there—I promise. I promise, Scorpius. I'm not going to leave you."

"Albus, I know. I just…I had to be honest with you. I hated hiding it from you, and I knew telling you would only hurt you more. I had to do it. I'm sorry."

"Please don't be sorry. Just let me in. I'm going to be here every step of the way. Please, Scorpius. You're my best friend. I love you."

Scorpius smiled at his friend's tearstained face. "I love you too." he whispered. The two hugged again warmly, but Albus held on a little bit longer. It was true—Scorpius was attempting at getting better, but that whole time before exams had completely drained him and he weighed far less than he should have. It was very, very difficult. After the two broke apart, Albus sat back in his seat and rubbed the tears out of his reddened eyes. "S-So have you given a second chance at Quidditch a thought?" he asked his friend. Scorpius shrugged. "I told myself that I'd play again before I left Hogwarts. But I don't know if I'll be able to this year with…my health." he replied. Lily swung the compartment door open and jumped inside, immediately ducking under the window and panting wildly. "The trolley lady caught us." she explained breathlessly. "Lorcan and Lysander are still on the run. They told me to hide before James skinned me." Albus smiled at his sister. As she kept peeking out the window to see if the woman was following her, Albus touched Scorpius's hand. "Let's make a small goal—let's have you gain ten pounds before Quidditch tryouts." he planned.

"It's going to take a lot more than ten pounds to get me up to a healthy weight…" Scorpius uneasily replied.

"Ten pounds plus muscle. That way you can still qualify, but you could also be on the mend. Deal?"

"I hope."

"Shake on it."

"Albus, this isn't something I can just decide to fix. My body has to actually teach itself how to eat normally again."

"I know. But can you promise me you'll try?"

"…I promise I'll try."

They shook hands, sharing a smile. Albus broke the tender moment by looking over at his crouching sister. "I hope that after all that grand escape you managed to grab what I asked you for." he ordered. The girl tossed two chocolate frogs back behind her towards them, her eyes glued to the hallway window. Albus tore the wrapper off of his, immediately biting into the sugary sweet. Scorpius, however, went back into defensive hiding mode. He pulled the wrapper off, folded it again, smoothed it out, looked at his Chocolate Frog card…anything but take a bite out of the thing. Albus reach over and picked it up. He broke it in half, then in half again, then used his wand to divide the quarter-piece into neat little slices. "Just eat that part." he asked his friend quietly. Scorpius picked up one of the tiny slices—it wasn't that big. Besides, it was really only a quarter of the actual Frog. It wouldn't make him that sick, right? He took a bite of the slice. "Thank you," he murmured to Albus who smiled in return.

Suddenly the door burst open yet again. Lily let out a shriek and covered her face with her hands….but it was only Chrissy coming to sit with Scorpius. She looked down at the cowering third-year with wide eyes, glancing up at the boys for an explanation. "She's just a bloody little thief who can't live with her own deeds. Come in and sit down." Albus said with a wave of his hand. Chrissy grinned, taking a seat beside Scorpius. He kissed her cheek. The two intertwined hands and Chrissy leaned to rest her head on his shoulder. As everyone talked and laughed a bit more, Albus realized that she was moving her hand slowly up and down Scorpius's chest. Every time she did it, her smile lost enthusiasm. Nobody else probably would've noticed it, but because of what Albus had just learned, he figured that she was noticing that she could feel Scorpius's ribs beneath his robes. She was frightened.

And even though Scorpius ate that quarter of the Chocolate Frog and laughed like everyone else, Albus admitted to himself that he was scared for his friend too.


	26. Year 6: Mid-October

**(resubmitted for corrections of minor errors - sorry) This is a big one. Please don't hate me for this! More will be coming, and the adventure never stops! Just don't be mad...this is necessary and you'll soon see why...**

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As much as Albus pushed and tried and urged, Scorpius simply could not eat as much as his friend desired him to. He honestly felt bad—it wasn't Albus's fault that he simply couldn't enjoy a meal like any normal seventeen-year-old boy. But he found himself snapping at him sometimes when he'd catch the Potter boy using his wand beneath the table to magically enlarge his portions when he wasn't looking. So it was safe to say that when Quidditch tryouts came around, Scorpius was in no physical form to even attempt a tryout. He wasn't giving up—he just knew his limits. His father and mother constantly wrote letters to him detailing the pride and respect they held for their son, and more importantly his realization that he couldn't mold himself into something he wasn't meant to be.

Scorpius was pretty satisfied with the way things were working out presently. He was comfortable with his abilities (or accepting, for lack of a better term) and he appreciated any support he received from his family, his best friend, or his girlfriend. However, if he could change one thing, it would have to be the nightmares. Sure, he'd occasionally have a flashback of his father's past, but not so much anymore. Now he was just seeing horrible worst-case scenarios that made him sit bolt upright with fear; Chrissy falling deathly ill, the Potter/Weasley clan killed in a Hogwarts Express derailing, someone sneaking in and murdering his parents in their sleep in revenge….All things that made his heart race and his mind want to delay sleep. He often told Chrissy about the things he saw—but never that they were about her. Sometimes he'd have to switch some parts around so that she wouldn't die, or she didn't get mauled by a Basilisk. But he told Albus everything. Every part of every dream. He just felt easier doing that around his guy friend than with her; the problem was that he never wanted to look weak in her eyes.

One day during Divination class, Professor Terwether was giving a quick lesson about how to use a crystal ball. Albus kept poking the glass structure with his quill throughout the dissertation, so when it came time for him to looking side their future, he had no idea where to begin. "You go first," he whispered to Scorpius who was sharing the ball with him. Scorpius shook his head. "Terwether said the eldest looks first! You have to!" he replied. Albus sighed. "You were born early—doesn't that count for something?" Scorpius kicked him under the table. "Quick, she's coming!" he reminded. Albus instantly pretended to busy himself with the crystal ball, occasionally jotting things down in his notebook. The woman approached him. "What do you see lies ahead of you, Mr. Potter?" she serenely asked. Scorpius had to bite his lip to prevent from laughing as Albus turned four shades of red, scratched his head, and squinted into the glass. "Er…I-I thought I saw a tree…" he muttered. The teacher bent in to look closer, her eyes widening at the swirling smoke within. "A tree? Heavens, no! That's clearly a dragon! Dragons symbolize power and might—you have a circumstance awaiting you in the future that will either prove your power or cause you to seek your own wisdom through an event. A tree…silly boy." she explained. "Mr. Malfoy! Have you gotten the chance to peer inside your path ahead?"

"No, ma'am. Not yet."

"Let us look now….ah, yes…my…my word…you've got big changes ahead of you."

"C-Changes?"

"I see a turning leaf—one falling in the breeze. There's your tree, Mr. Potter. But, I digress….yes, Mr. Malfoy, your crystal ball shows a turning leaf, one that is green and vivid—which indicates life. To interpret this you need to go exactly by what you see."

"So…I will have a turn of events in my life…?"

"Very good, Mr. Malfoy. Very good. Indeed, you are heading for some different styles. Prepare yourself for a twisting tide."

The woman slipped away over to Rose's table, leaving the two boys exchanging surprised looks. "Dragon…you're going to have to prove your strength. How?" Scorpius asked.

"I dunno. Turning leaf? Isn't everything of yours constantly changing?"

"Story of my life."

"I wonder if the two go together. Like…will I have to see my personal power to help you in a difficult situation…?"

"She didn't say mine would be difficult…just different. And if that's a possibility, I'd love to have these events be together. I like when you use the power for me."

When the bell rang, the students all rose from their crystal balls, chatting about what they saw. Scorpius smiled and walked over to Chrissy's seat as she busily put things into her bag. "How was your reading?" he asked, hoping she'd offer a comforting explanation for his future change. She kept her head down as she fidgeted with a book. "It was really interesting. Look, I'd love to walk with you to Herbology, but I've got prefect duty I have to attend to. So I'll just see you later." she quickly said, tucking her hair behind her ears and not looking up. Scorpius reached for her hand. "Is everything—"

"Ugh, it's fine Scorpius. Don't worry about it. You've got enough to take care of."

"A-Alright…let me know how prefect duty goes."

"See you,"

"I love you,"

But Chrissy slipped her hand out of Scorpius's and fled the classroom in a hurry before she could reply with the same sweet sentiment. Scorpius stood there for a moment, trying to convince himself that she really did had prefect duty—after all, that was an important job. His father was a prefect. Of course she had to be on top of things. It wasn't personal. Right?

So at dinner that night, Scorpius kept checking across the Great Hall for Chrissy's signal. She chatted with her friends, ate like normal, even giggled at that Rydeki boy's jokes a lot. But she never gave the signal. In fact, she just left the Great Hall without even looking at Scorpius at all. The boy felt his breathing quicken—was it something he said? Was it something he did or didn't do? They weren't all that physical, so maybe she was becoming frustrated with his insecurities? He glanced miserably down at his plate to eat one pea at a time, only to realize that the Great Albus Severus Potter had struck again—his tiny chicken wing had grown to the size of a large potato. "Albus, I told you...I can't eat like that. It's not…I can't control this." he trailed off to a whisper. But all Lily needed to hear was the first part of his sentence to reach over, picked up the monstrous wing, and club her brother over the head with it. Though she was scolded by Nearly Headless Nick, she looked across the table at Scorpius and mouthed, "Worth it," with Rose right there to give her an approving high-five.

Scorpius wandered the halls a bit after dinner in hopes of catching Chrissy in passing and asking if she was alright. But hours went by with no sight of her. Sighing, Scorpius headed towards the boys' bathroom to freshen up a bit before heading to the Gryffindor tower for the night. When he entered, he realized he was the only one around. That pleased him. As he walked towards the sink and turned the faucet for warm water, he suddenly heard a bubbling sound coming from behind him. The toilet in the third stall from the left was leaking water right out the top in spurts. This hadn't ever happened before. Scorpius turned to watch with wide eyes—he almost fainted when a head popped out of the porcelain seat. A loud, shrill cackle pierced the echoing space. "Myrtle!" he shouted, putting hand to his chest. "Don't do that! You scared me!"

"Every time, little Malfoy! Every single time you fall for it!" she screeched with laughter. The ghost shot straight up to the ceiling, hovering above him. "I've got a secret!" she taunted childishly.

"What is your secret this week, Myrtle?"

"…I can't tell you!"

"Well fine then. Just bottle it all in until you explode."

"…You…WAS THAT A DEATH JOKE?!"

"What? No! I was just reminding you what you tell me whenever I don't feel like talking to you—"

"NOBODY EVER WANTS TO TALK TO MOANING MYRTLE BECAUSE SHE'S JUST SO BOOOOORING! POOR MOANING MYRTLE—SHE MUST NOT EVER HAVE ANY INTERESTING STORIES, BECAUSE HOW MUCH CAN THINGS CHANGE WHEN YOU'RE _DEAD?!_"

"Will you stop overreacting? You're so dramatic."

"Fine! I guess I'll just have to _bore_ you with my special secret as punishment then."

"Please, enlighten me."

"I saw Chrissy Creevey kissing Nolan Rydeki!"

"…What? Shut up. You're such a drama queen."

"You think I'm not being serious? I have access to every bathroom in the entire school—girls' and boys'. And believe me, the girls' prefect bathroom was getting much, much action today…"

"You're such a liar. You're only doing this to get under my skin."

"Anybody else would be _grateful_ for my insight into their relationships!"

"Since when has anybody ever been _grateful_ for your incessant _spying?_"

"WELL I GUESS DUMB OLD MYRTLE IS JUST TOO PESKY TO BE AROUND, HM?!"

With that, the shrieking girl flushed herself down the toilet she popped out of. Scorpius rolled his eyes. She'd been purposefully scaring him for several weeks now, and it usually ended with him making a sarcastic comment towards her annoying behavior which she got upset over nine times out of ten. This was nothing new. But a little voice in the back of his head kept asking him to believe what the ghost had said—told him to confront Chrissy and ask what was going on….

Scorpius headed up to bed with his mind abuzz with thoughts and images of Chrissy kissing another boy; that couldn't be possible. They said they'd stay together forever. But just before Scorpius was able to slip his shirt off, he noticed a small note resting on his pillow.

_Scorpius,_

_Meet me at the entrance to the Great Hall by midnight._

_~Chrissy_

Scorpius raised his eyebrows—he was glad he found the note in time. It was nearly quarter-til. So he quickly threw a robe on over his skin-and-bones and hurried out of the dormitory, ignoring James's asking where he was headed so late. Scorpius knew he had to be both quiet and careful; even though sixth-years had an extended curfew, it certainly didn't go this late. He ducked behind a stone pillar just in time to avoid a rather blind cat of old Filch's strolling by. The moment he saw the Great Hall, Chrissy peeked her head around one of the entrance pillars to wave him over. He silently sprinted across the open space to meet her behind the stones, grabbing her hands playfully and leaning in to kiss her.

But Chrissy turned her cheek.

A little confused, he looked into her eyes for an answer. "Scorpius, we need to talk." she murmured. He held one finger up to her lips. "Hold on. I know where we can go that we don't have to whisper. My father told me how to get there—follow me!" he replied. He took her hand and quickly hurried across the hallway and waaaaay far down until there was nothing but wall in front of them. "Stay here," he whispered to her. Closing his eyes, he began to pace back and forth, concentrating on one thought only. I need a place that's comfortable for two lovers to hold a conversation… he repeated over and over in his brain. Within seconds, a door appeared on the smooth wall. Chrissy gasped. He turned the handle and led her inside, inhaling sharply at the sight of the little space.

The room was warm and had two chairs in front of a fireplace, with a little bed off in the corner and a small tableset off to the right. It looked like a tiny little apartment. Once the door was shut, Scorpius let out his breath. "Nice, isn't it?" he asked. She nodded in awe. "My father used to come here when he studied at Hogwarts. He said this is a pretty useful place. All you do is walk back and forth three times, thinking hard about what you need. And this room will give everything to you." Chrissy absently went over and sat in one of the comfortable chairs near the fireplace. Scorpius followed suit, reaching over to hold her hand. But again she pulled away. "Chrissy…"

"I need to say something."

"…Of course.…whatever you like…"

"Scorpius, I can't do this anymore."

"W-What?"

"I can't be your girlfriend. It's too hard to love you now. I tried and tried and tried everything, but I need someone that's going to have less…"

"Less problems?"

"It sounds harsh when you say that. But I mean less…endangerments. You know what I mean. The eating disorder—I can feel it ruining you. I touch your chest and I'm suddenly massaging a skeleton. I kiss your cheek and it's completely hallowed. I run my fingers through your hair and clumps fall out. I…I need someone strong."

"Chrissy…if you think my condition makes me weak, you're very wrong. You've got to have a lot of strength to be able to live through something like this, day in and day out."

"That's exactly my point—it's been three years. Scorpius…don't you think it's time to get better? Don't you think you should see someone about this? Get help? I don't know…I don't know how Albus does it."

"What do you mean by that?"

"He's been your best mate since the very beginning—how does he not feel like you're slipping away?"

"…He feels it. But he doesn't make me see it—he just carries on like normal, but James tells me that in the summer he literally paces while waiting for me to respond to a letter from him. He's always the first one to wake me in the morning because he wants to make sure I'm not dead. He knows."

"…I can't do that anymore, Scorpius. I worry about you constantly and I want to be by your side at every moment of the day. But…it's not possible. And I can't let it keep tearing me apart. So…I think we…need to say goodbye for a little while."

"…Y-You're breaking up with me?"

"I have to. It's best for both of us."

"No…no, I don't want this! I don't want us to be separated! Chrissy…I love you….I don't want anyone else—"

"Scorpius, please don't make this difficult. It has to be done. It is done. We just…need time apart."

"…Is it true you're seeing Rydeki?"

"W-What? How did you—"

"A friend told me about your little escapade in the bathroom today. Is it true?"

"…I'm only trying to better myself. Moving on right away is going to help me, and if that's what I need to do then so be it."

Scorpius leaned back in his chair, fixing his eyes on the fireplace. He was beyond tears at this point; the shock was still setting in. A few minutes of silence passed. "Chrissy…" he said, disgusted with how weak his voice sounded. Maybe she was right… "You made me so happy. Whenever I was with you…whenever I was _thinking_ about you…I was smiling. I haven't had an easy time with my mental state and my emotions. But you were the one thing that remained constant with me. I knew I had you. Hearing you say these things…it just makes me feel like I was stupid all that time…"

"You weren't stupid. It wasn't anything you did, and I'm not mad. It's just…a lot of people take breaks in relationships. It doesn't necessarily have to be permanent…just…for now."

"…I don't really know what to say…."

Chrissy stood up, patted his shoulder, and exited the room without another word. It took several minutes for everything to sink in—for the first time in three years, Scorpius was single. And this wasn't a time where being single was good—he needed all the help and love he could get to pull him through his dark time. Finally, Scorpius let the tears fall. He sobbed and cried and endlessly called her name. No one could hear him. By the time his eyes and throat hurt, he figured he should go to bed and deal with all the leftover emotions in the morning. He didn't even care to conceal himself on the way back up to Gryffindor Tower.

Scorpius simply shed his clothes without bothering with pajamas—he figured his underwear would do just fine for one night. He heard rustling as he climbed into bed; Albus popped his head of his own bedcurtains sleepily. "Where've you been?" he slurred. Scorpius cleared his burning throat. "Walking," he murmured. Albus cocked his head. "With Chrysanthemum?" This caused Scorpius to draw his knees up to his chest on the mattress. "Er…yeah, sort of. She's er…going her own separate way now though…so…" Within an instant, Albus was out of his bed and right by Scorpius's side. "She dumped you?!" he whispered heatedly.

"Just…'for now'…yeah, I guess so…"

"_Why?!_"

"She said she was worrying more than loving me. S-Said it didn't balance out…I don't know, Albus. It's…I just really don't need this…"

"Come here. Come here. It's going to be alright. She'll come to her senses soon enough. It's ok to cry, Scorpius! Just let it out. I know how a breakup feels, trust me. You've got me on your side. Just let it all out, Scorpius. Just let it all out."

So Scorpius laid on his side, sobbing once more, as Albus gently rubbed circles on his back soothingly lying right beside him. A thousand things ran through his head for his friend; he couldn't believe Scorpius was having to go through this at such an inconvenient time. It was selfish of Chrissy to do to him. But as he hushed his friend and promised him it would be alright, he couldn't help but know that this was not the final closing curtain on Chrysanthemum Creevey's relationship with Scorpius Malfoy. It would not be a permanent end.


	27. Year 6: Early January

**You're going to hate me. You really are. But don't worry, I'll have the next chapter posted very soon so that you don't have to wait so long. You'll see why. Just don't be mad - I've got lots planned, and Scorpius's journey is FAR from over.**

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Scorpius focused. He tried so hard to fix himself, to correct his eating habits, to open up about his feelings to others. But it was _so_ incredibly difficult. Albus was attempting to be as helpful as possible, as were Rose and James. Lily and Hugo tried to cheer him up as best they could, but Scorpius was having trouble staying happy for longer durations. Sure he'd laugh at dinner when Gabriel Finnegan tried to lick mashed potatoes off the tip of his nose, but then he'd be sitting on his bed twenty minutes later debating whether or not he should hang himself.

Albus was probably the most concerned for Scorpius, mainly because he knew of the depression and the eating disorder. He'd rub Scorpius's back when he'd find him throwing up in the bathroom, he'd tell the professors excuses (which were quite perfected) when he was too weak to make it to class, he'd sometimes even take Scorpius into his bed to sleep so that the boy wouldn't feel so alone in the night. But he chiefly relied on humor. He hoped that making Scorpius laugh would encourage him to want to seek that happiness more often, and would teach him to always look for something funny in every situation. When they walked to class and he happened to see Chrysanthemum (either with Rydeki or without), he'd mutter some choice vocabulary and call her all sorts of names that sometimes were strong enough to make Scorpius blush a little. The pair's bond became even tighter, if that was possible. They were now so close that Albus invited Scorpius and his parents over for either Christmas dinner or their New Year's Eve party—something that Astoria immediately agreed to when her son wrote to her about it.

So on New Year's Eve (it worked out better, considering Narcissa and Lucius always had the tradition of sharing Christmas dinner with their family), the small Malfoy family hurriedly Flooed to the Potter household, where just standing outside the door was interesting—the whoops and laughing and music could be heard through the walls. Draco fidgeted uncomfortably after ringing the doorbell. Astoria put her hands on his. "Are you alright, darling?" she asked softly. He nodded. "Er…fine. J-Just a little…er…the whole Weasley family is here, right?"

"I believe that's what Albus wrote in the letter to Scorpius. Why?"

"…N-Nothing….I just haven't seen…some of them for a…er…a very long time."

"Don't be nervous, dear. These are Scorpius's friends. They love him and they'll love you."

The door opened just in time to conceal Draco's whisper of, "Not exactly." Harry Potter stood there, a smile hopped onto his face at the sight of his guests. "Welcome!" he started to say, but Albus popped up behind him, letting out a loud cheer and lunging to give Scorpius a hug. "We're so glad you're here! You've got to come upstairs with us—Uncle George said we're all allowed to try Firewhiskey for the first time—" Suddenly Albus stopped dead, smiling sheepishly. "I-If that's alright with your parents, of course…." he recovered quickly. Draco looked a bit hesitant but Astoria smiled. "You're of age, Scorpius. And an adult will be with you. Just be careful and yell if you need us." she explained. Of course she was nervous about her son trying this for the first time, but George was supervising, and she figured after one sip he'd probably want to scrub his tongue with soap. Scorpius was trustworthy. Albus grabbed his hand. "Come on, let's get started!" he shouted as he pulled him inside. Harry watched him bolt for the stairs. "Albus!" he called. "Only one for you—I don't care what Uncle George says. Do you hear me?!" But he got no answer, because Albus was already out of sight. He giggled as he pulled Scorpius along. "It'll be fun—Rose's already had three!"

Harry led the parents into the living room which was adorned with lots of scintillating streamers and banners ringing in the new year. "Ginny, these are my friends Draco and Astoria Malfoy. You know Draco from Hogwarts, don't you?" he said to his red-haired wife. She smiled kindly. "Yes, I do. Pleasant to see you again. And actually, I know Astoria from Hogwarts too—we were in the same Year, and we were even Potions partners during one term, isn't that correct?" Ginny asked. Astoria's face lit up. "That's right, we were! I must've forgotten due to your change of surname. Wonderful to see you again, and thank you for inviting us." she replied. The two began talking about their dresses and recalling old times from classes, so Harry nudged Draco's shoulder. "Come on—let's leave those memories to the ladies." he murmured. Draco nervously followed Harry out to the back porch, where somewhere a few acres down, someone was shooting fireworks into the air. "How've you been, Draco?" Harry asked easily. The blonde wasn't quite so comfortable. He turned his champagne glass in his fingers a few times.

"Er…I've been alright, thanks. How about you?"

"Very well, very well. Been a while since we've talked face-to-face, eh?"

"Indeed,"

"I'm glad you could come tonight. Gives us a chance to catch up a bit since that time I saw you in the Three Broomsticks when your son amazed the Wizarding World. But even that was just mainly business."

"Y-Yeah…that's right…"

"Listen, I know I've said this before…but you can relax around me. I've got no hostility or anger towards you at all—I know you had no choice. I know it wasn't your fault. Just let it go, Draco, and I promise I won't bring up a single thing about the past. Can you do that for me?"

"Y-Yeah, sorry. I-It's just…I mean, I haven't seen Ginny or George, Molly and her husband, or really even Ron and Grang—Hermione since…you know…_then_…and I was a little—"

"They all forgive you too,"

"W-What? How could they? They should wish me dead—"

"God, Draco…I see where Scorpius gets it from." Harry didn't sound angry or annoyed; in fact, he had a sad smile on his face. Draco was a bit confused.

"What do you mean?"

"…Albus tells me things. About Scorpius, particularly. He says he'd having a lot of trouble recently…more so than usual. Draco, Scorpius takes the blame for literally everything. And in turn, that makes him feel useless. You do the same thing. I just wish I could make you see that Bellatrix was not your issue to worry about, that you and your mother were simply looking out for one another which prompted you to do the things you did, that Dumbledore _didn't die because you forced him to it_. Just like I wish Albus could show Scorpius similar things…"

"S-Scorpius is sick…"

"So Albus says. His girlfriend…?"

"Sensitive subject. I guess she broke up with him for not being enough or something."

"And yet he sees himself as an insufficient lover. You both do it."

"Must just be a Malfoy thing…"

"Probably. You know…I mean, it's not really my place, but I think maybe I should tell you that Neville brought his girlfriend Hannah Abbott with him, and she's a really brilliant Healer. She likes to work with psychology. Please don't be affronted for me suggesting this, but…maybe you'd entertain the thought of bringing Scorpius to her once in a while? She could help with the…you know, the sadness. If you're already attending to those issues though, I completely understand."

"…I'd do _anything_ to have my little boy back."

Harry paused, looking away to pretend he didn't see the tears that had sprung into Draco's eyes. "I'll privately let her know you're interested." he murmured softly.

"T-Thank you….But if she's too busy or it's too much of a burden—"

"Hey, it's going to be fine; just loosen up a little. Or I'm going to have to make you drink a shot of Firewhiskey to break out your fun side!"

To try to improve his nerves, Draco pointedly took a sip from his glass. He and Harry shared a laugh. "Let's go back inside—it's pretty chilly out here. Those girls must be over the color of each other's dresses by now, right?" Harry said. Draco smiled. "Hey…er…Ron…" he began, the anxiety beginning to worm its way back into his head.

"Don't worry about him. We've talked extensively and I can promise you he holds no hard feelings. Not to mention he's also been hitting the Firewhiskey to prove to George he can hold it down. Now come on—take a sip of your drink and break a grin!"

Draco actually smiled at that last comment, and walking in to the sight of Ron approaching him seemed a little less frightening. "Hey, Malfoy." the redhead greeted. Hermione, Astoria, Ginny and George's wife Angelina were all in deep discussion near the punchbowl. Overhead a loud thump came from the upstairs. Neville Longbottom had indeed brought Hannah Abbott to the party with him, and he'd just broken his conversation with his old-time redheaded friend to smile at the Malfoy. Draco felt warm and included here. He shook the man's hand. "Hello, Ron. It's nice to see you again." he sincerely said. Astoria turned back to look at him, and gave him a supportive and proud smile.

Scorpius held the cup in both hands, pretending to not be trembling. Rose giggled and held onto Lily as she swayed a bit. "Come on, Scorpius!" she laughed. "It makes you really happy!" And with that, she clunked right down onto the floor, laughing extensively with her cousin about something like if giraffes ever scrape their knees. George Weasley was sitting on one of the chairs, tears of laughter streaming down his cheeks at the sight of his nieces and nephews experiencing this new phenomenon. Albus nudged Scorpius. "Look at how much fun she is now! Where's this Rose at exam time?" he joked. Scorpius had to admit, he wasn't comfortable with this situation. But George had truthfully assured him that he himself had not been drinking, so that if anything went wrong or someone got hurt he was perfect sober enough to handle it. Scorpius trusted George. However, he did not trust Rose and how she was slurring her words into encouraging him to take a sip. Scorpius nervously grinned at her, then scooted down the sofa to sit nearer to George. "S-Sir?" he murmured above all the laughter. James was roaring with laughter as Rose attempted to make the coffee table light up with her wand. "I-I don't know if I really want to do this…" George ceased his laughter to look Scorpius straight in the eye. "That's alright, son. I won't make you. Just to maybe make you feel better, I'm just letting you know that it isn't real Firewhiskey in these glasses. I made a much weaker version with far less alcohol in it to sell at the shop. I call it Fakewhiskey. So if you try some, it's not going to immediately turn you into…well, _her_." he admitted. Scorpius eyed his cup.

"So it's not strong?"

"Very, very weak. Lowest alcohol content available. I sell it to parents who want to give their kids the real taste but not the after-effects. They use it to scare their kids away from drinking."

"Brilliant,"

"Very,"

"And I won't throw up after?"

"Not at all. I tested it on Hugo—and he lived. Oh by the way, if you want to just look like you're in on the party, I know a spell that'll discretely change the Fakewhiskey into juice. No one will know."

"Thank you, sir….But I think I'll give it one sip. Just to say I did it. Then maybe…can I take you up on that offer?"

"Anytime,"

George smiled warmly at him, then quickly used his wand to levitate a falling Rose and keep her from hitting the ground. Scorpius raised the glass to his lips. He took a very tiny amount of the liquid onto his tongue and swallowed it fast. Boy, did it _burn_. Albus laughed at his initial reaction. "It's terrible, isn't it? But it makes things a heck of a lot more interesting!" he shouted, dancing around the room with James, Lily, Hugo, and Rose. Scorpius smiled, nodding in agreement, then shot a sideways glance at George. He flicked his wand casually. Immediately the Fakewhiskey turned into a nice settling pumpkin juice, which Scorpius was much happier to enjoy.

George cast a Freshening Charm on Rose before leading them all down to the parents to count down the seconds to midnight. He knew Hermione would be floored if she knew how many cups of alcohol her daughter consumed, low-content or not. Draco and Astoria ended up having a wonderful time—they were pleased to have met friends that weren't hesitant at all to show them kindness and acceptance. Everyone went wild with excitement as the second hand struck the twelve at midnight. Ron immediately tugged on Draco's arm, hurriedly explaining that they had to give their wives a New Year's kiss immediately for lasting love. Draco was more than happy to sweep Astoria up and press a gentle, loving kiss on her lips. Scorpius enjoyed seeing all the happiness, all the laughter, all the festivities—but he knew he'd come crashing down later. He hoped he could ride out this good feeling for a while to delay that fall in emotions.

The Malfoys stayed a little longer at the party after midnight, mainly to thank the hosts for inviting them all. As they walked out the door bidding goodbye to each other, Albus threw his arms around Scorpius. He held onto him for a long time. "New year, new changes, right?" he whispered into the blonde's ear. Scorpius hesitated a moment, already feeling the tears build behind his eyes. He nodded. Albus tightened his grip on the boy just slightly. He placed a soft, friendly kiss on Scorpius's cheek and scrubbed at his eyes to prevent anyone from seeing his feelings. "Thank you," he whispered, forcing a smile. Scorpius squeezed his hand one more time before following his parents out towards the front lawn, where they Apparated back to Malfoy Manor.

Seeing Hannah Abbott every Tuesday and Thursday began to help with opening Scorpius up a little. She promised to never say a single word about their conversations to anyone—not to Neville, McGonagal, even his parents. He had a right to privacy. So when it came time for him to go back to Hogwarts, he felt a little more prepared. Sure, he still couldn't eat, and his happiness didn't last long, but he felt a bit better knowing that he was at least trying something to repair his broken mind. He planned on keeping his Mind Healer for as long as it took for him to be able to function normally—and Hannah Abbott didn't seem to mind it; she loved listening to Scorpius, she loved his pure innocence, she loved his honesty even when it caused him to lie on the floor in screaming tears. He needed to do this. For however long it would take.

Everything was alright the first few days. Albus kept him thoroughly entertained, Rose kept him on top of his schoolwork, James kept him under concerned watch, and Lily and Hugo kept him busy with their latest adventures with the Scamander twins. But whenever he saw Rydeki put an arm around Chrysanthemum, or pull her to a deserted corridor after class, or turn back and give him a sneaky little _smirk_ before kissing her passionately, his good behavior went out the window. Scorpius simply couldn't handle seeing this deception. He'd write to his Healer when it wasn't a visitation day (she went to the hospital wing of the school to meet him every Tuesday and Thursday as scheduled) and would receive a response in just a little over an hour. But sometimes it would be too much for him. Was he really that replaceable?

One day after Care of Magical Creatures class, Scorpius was heading back to the castle to work on some homework, as classes were finished for the day. Albus and the others ran to the library to find a book about some kind of spell or something they'd heard Harry talking about over Christmas break. As he trudged on alone, he heard giggling and hushed whispers ahead of him. Did he dare look? Unfortunately his curiosity got the best of him and he looked up just in time to see Nolan Rydeki sweeping Chrysanthemum off her feet and carrying her rather seductively towards the Slytherin dungeons. The things they were whispering back and forth disgusted the small blonde boy. He turned the other way when Chrysanthemum let out a shrieking laugh that clearly spelled out she was enjoying his promises…or whatever they were. Scorpius began to climb the shifting staircases to just get back to his own commonroom and dive into bed and just cry, cry, _cry_ it all out just like Miss Abbott suggested.

As he ran up the stairs, he was suddenly stopped dead in his tracks by a sudden lightheadedness that struck him like lightning. Scorpius hadn't run in _ages_…especially not when he hadn't eaten anything that day. The strain of physical exercise, the warmth of the inside of the castle that suddenly made it feel like it was a thousand degrees celcius, and the empty fuel tank his stomach represented pounced on him all at once. Black spots fluttered before his eyes. His stomach pitched. All of the air in his lungs was sucked out. He couldn't breathe. Suddenly, everything started going fuzzy. Scorpius could feel himself falling…falling…fainting…

"Help…" he managed to breathe just before completely losing consciousness.

Meanwhile, a small fifth-year girl with black hair bounced past the moving staircases on her way to the owlry. She planned to send a letter to her parents and older sister. Today had been a good day for her—she'd just passed an overwhelmingly difficult exam in Transfiguration, and not to mention she found her pet mouse Prickers under her bed after he'd been lost for a good two days now. She'd been convinced an owl had scooped him up. But now riding comfortably in her Ravenclaw cloak pocket, she knew he was safe. The moving staircases always fascinated her. She glanced up to watch them as she made her way past, but suddenly something caught her eye as one of the staircases rotated to give her a different view.

Was that a boy on the stairs?

She hurried over, immediately noticing that whoever this pin-thin blonde was had blood leaking out all over the stairs from a nasty crack on the back of his head. Did he fall? She pushed her fingers onto his neck. His wrist. His chest. Her eyes widened when she felt absolutely no pulse at all. "Help!" she called out, praying someone was on their way to the owlry as well, and would just happen to pass by. "Help! _Somebody!_" she shouted now. Not even a footstep echoed into her direction. Of course not—everyone was getting ready for dinner. The Ravenclaw reached into her robe pocket (accidentally shoving poor Prickers out of the way) and drew her wand out. Time to prove what she'd learned in Defense Against the Dark Arts. She leaned back, traced her wand in a circle, and closed her eyes. Images of Prickers, her sister, her mother and father, and a girl running barefoot through a field flooded her mind. "_EXPECTO PATRONUM!_" she yelled out, and instantly a graceful Golden Retriever puppy patronus burst from the tip of her wand, running around her and the boy in circles. "Quick!" she told it. "Go up to the hospital wing and get Madam Pomfrey! Tell her there's a boy with no pulse and a cracked skull! Please, quickly! And get Headmistress McGonagal if you happen to see her—just get anybody, please! I-I'm scared for him!" The corporeal puppy gave her a nod, then burst forward with amazing speed down the corridors, barking for attention.

She stayed with the little blonde even though he had no pulse. "You're ok…" she sobbed quietly, fear taking over. "You won't die alone…I'm here…you're going to be ok…" Within minutes, both Madam Pomfrey and Headmistress McGonagal ran towards them, eager to attend to the fallen student. "_Malfoy!_" the female school head gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Madam Pomfrey checked his pulse. Nothing. "I'll use an electricity spell," she thought aloud breathlessly. "It often shocks the heart into beating and the lungs into expanding. It may hurt a bit but…it's better than dying, right?" She drew her wand, placed it directly over Scorpius's chest, and mentally used an incantation that sent sparks flying from the tip. The tiny body jolted and writhed a few inches above the ground. The Ravenclaw girl shrieked at the sight. When Scorpius's body was lowered and the shower of sparks ceased, they checked the pulse again. "I'm getting a very faint reading…!" the nurse exclaimed. McGonagal looked frightened beyond her wits. "J-Just take him up to the hospital wing! So he can at least have a bed to lay and people to care for him!" she suggested quickly. Madam Pomfrey scooped him up into her arms. "I don't know how much longer he has left…" she murmured, hurrying off down the corridor. The Headmistress looked at the Ravenclaw. "Were you the one that sent the Patronus?" she asked breathlessly. The girl nodded nervously—was that allowed at Hogwarts? Did the Patronus break anything? Where did it go once it vanished? It was her first time ever speaking to the woman-in-charge. McGonagal straightened. "Very well done. Ten points to…whatever your House is. You might've just saved a life." she said, immediately sweeping away to go follow the nurse and the injured boy.

The Ravenclaw girl instantly reached into her pocket to hide her wand. She grabbed Prickers out of her pocket and stroked him in her hands—something that had always soothed her anxiety during panicky times. Quickly, the girl took off down a separate corridor before people arrived to ask questions. She didn't want to be known as a hero. She didn't want people to know she was involved.

But she did want to know who that poor lonely boy was.


	28. Year 6: Mid-January

**Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long! Some big changes are coming around. Let me know what you think! Oh and thank you for all the reviews and support! :)**

* * *

Albus paced.

That's all he could do.

Pace.

He was powerless as he waited for the clearance to be let in to see Scorpius in the hospital wing. "Come on…" he muttered under his breath to no one in particular. "Just let me in….I'm his best friend—what danger am I to his health? Just let me see my Scorpius…"Almost as if every swear he'd strung together worked together as some sort of crude spell, Madam Pomfrey entered the waiting area, her hands clasped together nervously. "Mr. Potter?" she asked aloud. He was the only one in the room. Albus stood up and followed her down the rows and rows of beds to a small one near a window at the end of the long hall. A tiny, tiny boy laid under the sheets, his head wrapped in a bandage, his eyes solemnly closed. "Mr. Potter, please…" Madam Pomfrey whispered. He'd never seen her this visibly disturbed about a student's condition—usually she could fix anything. "We don't…he's just in such a fragile state right now….if anything goes wrong, he may…he's just so fragile. Please keep that in mind." Albus studied the sleeping Malfoy. "Is he…he's not dying is he?" he asked softly. Madam Pomfrey pretended to busy herself with mixing up a potion and acted like she didn't hear him.

This was bad.

Albus leaned close to Scorpius's face. He was beyond tears at this point—he'd done all of his crying back in the Gryffindor dormitory while his friend underwent intensive care. He pressed a friendship kiss on the boy's soft cheek. "Stay with us…" he breathed, feeling his throat catch a lump. "As much as you want to give in and just go…stay with us here. We love you. All of us do. Stay here, Scorpius…" He couldn't say anymore. There was so much he wanted to tell the weak little thing, but the fact that Scorpius hadn't even responded to his touch told him that he probably couldn't hear anything around him.

But that didn't stop Albus Severus Potter from abandoning class for the entire day to stay with Scorpius from nine in the morning until eight at night, missing meals, skipping homework…all to sit beside an unconscious boy that didn't even know he was there.

James, Lily, Hugo, and Rose all visited after dinner. They were horrified to find that Scorpius hadn't been conscious since his initial fall down the stairs, but they too expressed their sentiments privately to him. Rose brushed some of the soft wisps of blonde hair off of his cheeks. She looked around to make sure no one was peering around the hospital curtain, then fastened his Uncle Bazel's fortune necklace around his scrawny neck. The rose-stone coating over the elm wood glistened with reflection from the floating candles. Wordlessly, she left him alone again.

Once more, the luck charm proved its extent; Scorpius's eyes fluttered open just a few days later.

Headmistress McGonagal was notified immediately upon Madam Pomfrey's discovery of the waking child, simply because she had been in close contact with the Malfoy family during the period of sleep their son went through. The two women checked on him constantly—one to report back home, the other to try to force food into his body to stabilize him. Hannah Abbott visited that day as well. She established that she'd still come every Tuesday and Thursday, but she added in Saturday sessions considering he wouldn't be going back to class any time soon; he was still far too weak to even sit up. Scorpius remained very very quiet during all of these visitations—not only was he disturbed, but he was in a ton of pain. He needed to drink Skelegrow to heal the fracture in his head, and he needed to eat every bowl of soup Madam Pomfrey proudly set in front of him. Things were getting harder and harder. That is, until Headmistress McGonagal introduced him to a new, strange little visitor that he'd never seen before. Or met. Or ever thought about meeting.

The woman pulled the hospital curtain back, revealing a smaller black-haired girl staring at her shoes and occasionally glancing up at him shyly. "Mr. Malfoy," the woman said. "This is the girl that…saved your life. I thought maybe she'd like to tell you about it. If you're in need of anything at all, please don't hesitate to call for Poppy—er, Madam Pomfrey." She gave the girl an encouraging nudge forward before sweeping out of the hospital wing. "Hi," the girl said quietly. "Is it ok if I sit like this?" she asked as she situated herself on the end of his mattress. Scorpius nodded, sending shooting pains down the back of his neck. "Headmistress McGonagal wanted me to come talk to you. She said you needed some fresh faces around you, and I think that's a great idea. It's always good to make new friends." Scorpius stayed quiet; he was afraid if he tried speaking his entire aching head would just pop off. But the little girl didn't seem to mind. "It's rather chilly in here, don't you think?" she went on. "I see Madam Pomfrey put a Heating Charm on your blankets. She's a great nurse. Someday I'd like to be a Healer—but I have to do really well on my OWLs this year. I guess that's why I'm a Ravenclaw! My name's Kaya Lin; although I don't really go by my full name. I like to be called Kie. Just the first half of 'Kaya'. It's more unique. Headmistress told me your name's Scorpius? That's pretty neat. I guess it's one of those Pureblood traditions to stick with a name of a certain group, you know, constellations, flowers, all that. I'm a half-blood—we're not all that interesting like Purebloods. But I think we're still cool."

"H-How…did you…s-save m-me?" Scorpius whispered, a little surprised that it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would.

"Oh…well, I didn't actually save you. I mean…I just thought fast, that's all. I saw you laying on the moving staircases with all this blood covering your head, so I conjured up my Patronus and told it to get Headmistress and Madam Pomfrey. At first Headmistress McGonagal gave my House ten points, but when I went back past it the next day, I saw that she'd actually added forty more points to that! We're just one place behind Gryffindor now! Anyway, nobody knows I had anything to do with it. I didn't really want all the spotlight and attention. I just hoped you were ok."

"T-Thank…you."

"Not a problem. You're sure to be on your way to a speedy recovery now."

"…Not e-exactly…"

"What do you mean?"

"…I've got a lot of other things to f-fix besides just my head. W-Well I mean the fracture, er, by that. I suppose. And…I guess in other ways too. I-I just need some time."

"It's alright. Everyone has their little quirks."

"My issues aren't just 'little quirks'. You wouldn't understand."

"I understand you,"

"Yeah right."

"…I'm partially deaf."

Scorpius was taken aback by this, even though he couldn't visibly express it due to all the bandages. "W-What?" he asked. The girl giggled. "That's exactly what I say a lot! But no, seriously, I was born without hearing in my right ear. If someone were to tell me the most interesting secret in the whole world through that side…well, let's just say their secret's safe with me!" Scorpius studied her for a moment—she didn't look deaf. Didn't even look impaired at all. Yet his disorder was visible; people could see how thin he was. Scorpius looked away from her smiling gaze, picking tenderly at a string coming loose from the quilt atop him. "I know what you're thinking," the girl murmured. "You think I can't tell you have problems of your own. Honestly, people don't just faint from running up the stairs. I can judge your weight. I know you're not eating." Scorpius immediately snapped his attention up to her—how dare she just point that out through assumption?! But as his rage dissolved into sadness, he realized he couldn't be mad at her for bringing it up. The issue wasn't his weight—the issue was that he couldn't accept his disorder for what it was. Kie gave him a sad smile. "Sorry for being so blunt." she murmured. "But I just think there's a solution to every problem. As far as mine goes, I learned to sit on the rightmost side of the classroom so that I can hear everything I need to freely—without there being a wall of an interference. You…you just need someone that's going to help you see your worth." How did she know all this? The only Ravenclaws he'd ever talked to were Lorcan and Lysander, and considering their mother was Luna Lovegood, Scorpius couldn't really make a judgment about the House based on them alone. Apparently these people were highly intellectual and sensitive.

Scorpius was about to look up at her and ask what she was suggesting, when suddenly something wiggled unexpectedly against his foot. He gasped. But Kie didn't seem fazed. "Oh, sorry." she calmly explained as she reached into her robe pocket. "It's just my pet mouse Prickers. He was lost for a few days, and I was afraid he'd either run away or was scooped up by an owl. He puts up with a lot, you know. But it turns out he was just hiding under my bed because Katie Thomas got a new kitten for Christmas, and the two had a rather unpleasant run-in. Now I keep him in my pocket. He's safe for good. Want to hold him?" She waited for Scorpius to anxiously hold out cupped hands before plopping the fuzzy white ball into them. The thing blindly sniffed around, scampering up his bony arms until it bounced onto the pillow and curled up. "He's a lazy boy," she commented as Scorpius laughed at the sight. The two played with the mouse—Kie was right; that thing did put up with a lot from her—and talked about themselves. Scorpius felt grateful to her for saving him, even though he was conflicted, but by the end of the day he really enjoyed her company. "H-Hey, you're a fifth-year, right? If you need any help studying for your OWLs, I did alright on them so feel free to ask me." Scorpius nervously suggested. He shouldn't have worried, because she smile brightly at him. "Thank you! I like spending time with you. I think I'll come back every day until you decide you're sick of me." It was an odd way of asking if she could see him again, but one that made Scorpius laugh and feel appreciated. Kie was really neat. She was a really neat girl…not to mention smart…pretty…

A few days later, Draco and Astoria went in to visit their son as soon as he was able to sit up on his own. After greeting him and giving him all the love they possibly could, Astoria went to talk to Madam Pomfrey about his eating habits and counseling. Draco sat with his son on the bed. "How do you feel?" he asked quietly. Scorpius half-smiled. "Better. A little. Miss Hannah really helps me, and Albus tries to skip class to meet me but always gets caught….and I, er, made a new friend. They're all doing wonders for me. I can feel it."

"I'm glad you and Albus are still close. I was worried that this would maybe be the last time he'd want to deal with everything…but he is a Potter. He's extremely loyal."

"He's the best. Albus always comes to visit me every single day, sometimes even multiple times. Once or twice he's snuck into the hospital wing after Madam Pomfrey went to bed, just so he could sleep in the bed with me like we used to back in Gryffindor tower when I was upset about something. He's a really great friend."

"We're all so happy to have you with us, my baby."

"…Father, if I tell you something, will you think I'm crazy?"

"You can tell me anything,"

"But will you throw me in St. Mungo's?"

"I promise I wouldn't ever leave you to suffer like that alone. Now what is it you wanted to tell me?"

"…I died when I fell unconscious."

Silence burst through the room.

Draco looked a bit confused, yet tried not to let it show. "You…died?"

"Yes, I did. I felt like I was fainting, but then all of a sudden I was standing up. There was a really bright beacon blazing ahead of me. I followed it and I was greeted by Severus Snape—the man you told me about."

"…S-S…._Severus?_"

"He took my hand and he said, 'Scorpius, you made it home.' So I asked what 'home' was, and all of a sudden this little girl with bright blonde hair and a little pink dress came running towards me and started running around me in circles as she giggled. I saw Dumbledore too. He explained things though."

"…W-What kind of things?"

"He told me that the little girl running around me was my sister."

"…Your…sister?"

"He said that when Mother miscarried when I was ten, the baby girl went up to Heaven. Mr. James Potter and Mrs. Lily Potter decided to take her in while they were in Heaven too. So she was happy to greet me. He told me that I was very brave and that inner strength matter—not strength visible to the eye. He smiled a lot. But suddenly I felt a tug, and everyone stopped looking so happy. Severus said, 'Scorpius, you need to make a decision. You can follow us and have it all be over—come to Heaven with us. Or you can continue on your journey of bravery back on earth. It is up to you, and the only one that knows what is best, is yourself.' My sister smiled sadly at me. Dumbledore gave me a nod. So I said that I was ready to return to earth and fight my personal battles so that no one else would have to feel as sad as I did. My sister ran back to the Potters, Dumbledore patted my back, and Severus smiled. He walked me away from the beacon. Before we parted, he said, 'I am proud of you in every possible way, Scorpius Malfoy.' And before I could respond, I felt myself being pulled again…this time I actually woke up in my bed."

"…Oh my god…"

"Please don't think I'm crazy."

"I don't think you're crazy….I just think you took a huge step in reclaiming your life. Because you didn't shy away from the fight. You willingly opted to take it on."

"That's what Dumbledore said,"

"…I get more and more proud of you every single day."

"…Thank you, Father. That means a lot."

The two embraced in a long, comforting, forgiving hug. It felt wonderful to hear that it hadn't been his head formulating a dream—that Draco actually felt the same way about his son's choice to not give up. After pulling apart, Draco smiled at him. "And you said you made a new friend?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow. Scorpius blushed. Why was he blushing?! "Y-Yeah…her name's Kie Lin. Well, it's technically Kaya, but she likes me to call her Kie. We talk a lot. She's a Half-Blood Ravenclaw—and she brings her pet mouse to play. I owe my life to her." Draco was silent for a little while. Finally, he grasped Scorpius's hands. "You're my world," he murmured. "I just want you to know that. And I want you to know that I'm happy with anything that makes you happy. I'm glad you chose to stay with us. I'm so relieved that you're making your own progress." Scorpius grinned. As long as his father was proud of him, he didn't care what the rest of the world thought. A surge of confidence rushed through him upon hearing those words—along with Severus's smiling face, the little girl beaming at him, Albus wrapping an arm around his waist in the nighttime, Kie's laughter and taking of his hand….

He resolved to get better if it was the last thing he did. And it took momentarily dying to realize that.


	29. Year 6: Mid-April

**This one is sort of a bridge...but don't worry, it has a BIG part of the story in it. I hope it doesn't get too weird...**

**Let me know what you think. Thanks for all the reviews and support!**

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Scorpius felt raindrops slide quickly down the tip of his nose and mingle with the water dripping from Kie's face as their lips repeatedly met with earnest, intensity, and passion. They'd been enjoying a cool spring day out on the Hogwarts lawn when the April showers unexpectedly rolled in. Kie had admitted that it had been a dream of hers to be kissed in the rain. Scorpius replied it had been a dream of his to fulfill her every wish. Somewhere after that they started their kissing, even after everyone else had run for cover inside—they just remained in the downpour, enjoying every second of this newfound intimacy between them. Sure they'd kissed before, even held hands. But they weren't officially 'dating'.

When Scorpius felt her hands gather up his shirt in the back as she leaned deeper into the kiss, he decided that yes, they were indeed a couple.

Thunder rolled overhead. Kie groaned, pulling her head back to glance up through the raindrops. Scorpius took this as an invitation to kiss her neck—he felt a little more confident about himself; the past couple of months was strict rehabilitation for him. Madam Pomfrey put him on a set eating schedule where even if he didn't finish the entire plate of food, he was still required to take at least three bites. Small increments seemed to be working well. Miss Hannah visited him more often; their talks went a long way and he always felt a little less pressure on him after speaking with her, considering everything he said wouldn't be told to another soul. Again, small increments. He opened up little by little, releasing a steady stream of self-confidence back into his life. It enabled him to do risky things such as this (as risky as this was)—and he was beginning to like it. Albus once told him that Gryffindors had an inherent disregard for the rules; was passionately kissing a girl out in a thunderstorm rulebreaking?

He supposed it was, because this was something he wouldn't ever have dreamed of a few years ago. Maybe it wasn't him. Maybe he could've done this all along, but Chrysanthemum held him back. Kie just made him feel so free. She always offered a laugh, she never fussed over him, she had these creatively imaginative ideas that were so original and unique—sometimes she literally just lit up his entire mood. Or perhaps…perhaps she utterly understood him. Plain as that. She had issues of her own; a problem that separated her from everyone else and got in the way of her everyday life. Just as he did. They had a mutual disability—maybe that's why things were already just so much easier…

Another clap of thunder rolled, except this time Kie broke the kiss to put her hands over her ears in a grimace. Scorpius opened his eyes to look at her. "Is everything ok?" he asked. The roll died down. She let out a breath that she'd been holding, slowly raising her eyes to look at the soaked blonde before her and nodding. "Sorry….it's just my ears…." she replied, still not removing her hands from the sides of her head. Scorpius brushed some water off her cheeks lovingly. "What's the matter? Did I hurt you?" he asked.

"No, not at all….It's just…alright, you know I can't hear out of my right ear."

"Sure I do,"

"Well, since that one doesn't work at all, my left ear tries to compensate. So everything I hear it magnifies for me, and often with loud sounds it hurts my eardrum. Basically, my left ear is extremely sensitive since it's doing the job of two."

"So…the thunder…"

"…It hurts, Scorpius."

Her sad eyes and heartbreaking tone made him want to just wrap her up and protect her from the world. When did that happen? Usually he was the one needing comfort… Scorpius gently moved to take her hands off her ears. "It's gone now…I'll cover them for you when I hear it first. Do you want to go back in the castle? Is it better in there?" he asked, pulling her close to him again. She nodded. "The walls muffle it….Oh, Scorpius…I'm so sorry…I didn't want you to necessarily 'find out'. It's super embarrassing for me to be afraid of a thunderstorm…"

"You're not afraid of the thunderstorm. You're afraid of the effects. Please don't be sorry about the things you can't control." Scorpius replied, directly quoting Miss Hannah.

"…But…I liked this so much…"

"…Listen, my father told me about this really special place inside the castle that only appears when you absolutely need it. It's called the Room of Requirement—and I know how to get there. You can think of anything that you want as you walk by, and it instantly creates a room behind a sealed door that nobody else can go through; inside is whatever you'd like it to be."

"R-Really? Such a place exists?"

"I've been there before. I think you'll love it."

"…Do you think we could maybe meet there tonight?"

Scorpius instantly blushed, hoping the rainwater would conceal it and wouldn't turn to steam against his burning cheeks. Miss Hannah had been encouraging him this month to go out a take a few risks—do things he wasn't completely comfortable with right away. She didn't know he had a 'girlfriend'. But thunder cracked, causing Scorpius to instantly become distracted with covering Kie's ears and pulling her protectively into his chest. The innocent look of fear on her face served as a mirror to him; he was that scared and anxious on the inside whether he had a meal in front of him or not. They were a rather perfect fit. Once the thunder died off again, he released his grip on her. "How about we go inside, get all dried off and warm, and meet in front of the Great Hall after dinner at eight o'clock?" he asked. Kie's face turned from worry to happiness. She nodded, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her back towards the castle through the driving rain. "I'll have to run a blowdryer over Prickers when I get inside," she reported. "He'll be pretty upset if I leave him in my pocket again all soggy." Scorpius looked down at her, a smile tugging at his lips. "You brought the mouse with you?"

"I bring him everywhere. Not only is he my best pet, but it makes calming down a little easier after a loud noise or a scare. Holding him and petting him makes me feel a lot better."

"…That makes sense."

"However, he is a little moody if I forget I have him. He gets over it fast, but I really don't like to see him upset."

"He's like your security blanket."

"Exactly,"

They finally sprinted into the doors, shaking off their soaked-through robes and casting Drying Charms on themselves. Smiling, Scorpius reached out his frail hand to take Kie's. He walked her towards the direction of the Ravenclaw Tower. Almost three-quarters of the way there, she looked up at him with a serious face. "Scorpius, are we a couple?" she asked. Scorpius blushed yet again. He really, really wanted them to be…but what if she didn't consider him in the same regards? She looked at her feet as they walked. "I mean," she went on. "We see each other all the time, we understand each other better than anyone else…and we…you know, we kiss like that….Does that make us a couple?"

"Er…y-yeah I suppose it could….I mean…if that's what you want…" he replied nervously. What would she say?

"I only want to be sure that you like all of me enough for that. Not just our…_experiments_ or our company."

"Kie, I like you in every way possible. I like your looks, I like your jokes, I like your artist's side, I like your company, I like your body, and I like that I can only stand on your left side. I like everything about you. Everything. And honestly…yes, I would love a relationship with you. If you're alright with…dealing with me."

"You're not somebody I 'deal with', you're somebody I trust. And I like you in all those ways too."

"So from here on out, we're a couple for the world to see."

"Chrysanthemum Creevey…"

"…W-What about her?"

"Are you two still together?"

"God no. She couldn't handle me at my worst. She left me a few months ago."

"…And are you over her?"

"Completely. Trust me when I say this: before, I was really, really insecure about…what I looked like. My eating disorder made me so weak and undesirable. Basically, I couldn't—and was too afraid—to give her what she wanted, I suppose. So…she went with someone who'd satisfy her needs as often as she liked. I didn't want to be with someone who would dispose of me like that."

"I would never. You're too good to me."

"…And that's another thing. She…alright, I know I wasn't as physically capable of any guy my age. And I'm still not now. I hate being this weak and this skinny, but I can't help it. Chrysanthemum always…er…babied me, in a way. She checked on me constantly, never missed an opportunity to ask me how much I'd eaten that day, always questioned if I was feeling alright….Well, now I'm a little stronger. I don't need that anymore. I want to just help you and do all that for you. You see me as…as…"

"I see you as a man who protects me,"

"…A _man?_"

"I knew about your eating disorder the moment I found you on the stairs. But you just found out about my sensitivity to sound just a few minutes ago—yet before that, you were always taking good care of me and checking in. It makes me feel really wanted. It makes me feel loved. I think that's what she made you feel, until she just got impatient."

"…How are you so perceptive of these things?"

"I think that's why I'm a Ravenclaw."

Scorpius stopped walking just to look down at her. Her beautiful black hair shone in the floating candlelight, her hazel eyes gazing up at him with the utmost sincerity. "I'm not going to leave you ever," she whispered. After a few seconds of taking this in, Scorpius bent down and pulled her into a hug. She was right—he was tired of feeling used for love. He just wanted to love and be loved back. Of course he didn't deny that Chrysanthemum did love him at one time, but as Kie said, she just got impatient and felt the need to branch away for herself. But here was this girl, this mirror-image of himself, saying she wanted and needed the same things he desired. "And I'll always be here for you," he whispered in response. The two stayed in a tight embrace for a long time.

Scorpius left the Ravenclaw girl at the entrance to her tower, promising he'd be there to take her to the Room of Requirement at eight o'clock. Back in the Gryffindor boys' dormitory, he combed his thinning hair carefully to prevent any more loose strands from falling out and laid a clean robe out on his bed to change into. Albus walked in. "Ah, there you are." he said, leaning close until his chin rested on Scorpius's shoulder. "Enjoy yourself out there?" he whispered. The blonde flung his shoulder back, blushing fiercely. "What are you talking about?" he defended quickly. Who else had seen? Albus laughed heartily. "Oh come on. You know what I mean. You two looked really into it. I was afraid I was going to have to go out there and remind you that a nice space without windows would probably be a little more private."

"She wanted to be kissed in the rain for the first time,"

"What a good boyfriend."

"Don't tease me!"

"How could I not?! All Chrissy ever did was make a fuss over you. Acted more like a mum than a girlfriend, if you ask me."

"Ew, don't say that. Now you're making me feel gross."

"This one was a pretty good choice though. Are you two officially together yet?"

"Yes, we are. We talked about it a lot actually."

"Good, because if you weren't and you kept snogging like that, I'd think she slipped you a love potion. Oooh, are these robes special?"

"Yeah, I'm taking her out after dinner tonight. Do they look alright?"

"They look great. Where are you going? Not back outside, I hope."

"No, Albus." Scorpius rolled his eyes and laughed. "I'm taking her to the Room of Requirement.

Albus was quiet for a moment, just sitting there with his eyebrows raised and apparently in deep thought. "Whoa," he breathed after a little while.

"What?"

"The Room of Requirement….that's really special. You are a good boyfriend."

"Miss Hannah asked me to try taking some risks—doing things without thinking everything through first. I mean, I know I really, _really_ like Kie, but I've just said yes to a date so fast, or pushed my lips against hers when she said she dreamed of being romantically kissed in the rain. I'm…I'm just really making an effort to get better, Albus. I want to get better for Kie. I want to be her protector, not one that she has to look out for."

"That's really sweet, Scorpius. I can see you're trying hard. Once you get comfortable with yourself, the eating and everything will all come back naturally. But the Room of Requirement is a really good choice for a special date—and in your case, doesn't require an awkward dinner. I took Matilda Steinmetz there once. And Kathy Jackson. And Emmeline Partridge—"

"Albus, please! I don't need to hear about all the girls you snogged in that room!"

"Sorry…well, all I can say is…have a great time." He winked. Scorpius balled up the shirt he'd removed and threw it at his friend, earning a howling laugh. "We're not doing _that!_" he muttered as he kicked his shoes off.

Scorpius scribbled out a quick letter home, detailing everything he could about Kaya Lin—her beauty, her humor, her creativeness, her hearing-impairment. He decided to leave out the part about her blood status for now. When he'd written home in the hospital wing a few days ago that he was beginning to see someone special, Astoria and Draco were nothing but overjoyed to see him moving forward with his life. He was fairly certain they'd be as ecstatic now.

As promised, he met Kie down at the Great Hall entrance, smiling when he saw her looking around intently and stroking Prickers. But her anxiety melted when she saw him; when he wrapped her into his arms warmly. They made their way to the Room of Requirement, delighting in each other's company and laughing as they forgot all about their individual impairments. However, Scorpius instantly became nervous when he saw the door to the Room of Requirement opening—someone was already using it. How embarrassing! He thought about ducking in hiding somewhere, but he didn't want to startle Kie. But to his shock, Miss Hannah bounced out of the room, giggling and looking down at her left hand with tears in her eyes. To add to the surprise, Professor Longbottom stepped out behind her, grinning from ear to ear. "…absolutely beautiful, Neville! I don't deserve such a nice ring! I couldn't ask for a better boyfr—_fiancé!_" she gushed. Neville kissed her cheek. "I'm glad you liked the proposal. I didn't know if you knew about the Room of—oh….Mr. Malfoy? Miss Lin? W-What are you doing out of bed?" Neville stammered, turning almost as red as Scorpius. "W-We…er…were just out for a walk." Scorpius lied, hoping his professor wouldn't catch on that they were supposed to be on a date. Miss Hannah was far from pretending that nothing happened. She ran to her little patient and hugged him tightly, showing him her new ring and telling him that she and his teacher were going to be married. He could tell she was completely astounded and excited. From the look on Neville's face (which basically read that if he didn't show it soon, he'd explode) mirrored her emotions. They were engaged. Kie smiled sweetly. "Congratulations, Professor." she politely responded. Miss Hannah took Neville's hand, telling Scorpius she'd detail everything about the proposal at their next meeting, and walked with him down the long corridor and out of sight.

Scorpius watched them go, waited until they were out of sight. "Well…" he sighed. "That was quite embarrassing." But Kie only giggled. "We know that they only were using the room for a proposal. I'm positive they know we're not using it to do anything explicit. Don't be embarrassed, Scorpius. Be proud—apparently this is a pretty hopping place!" She knew just how to make him feel better. Scorpius grinned at her, placing a kiss on her cheek. He paced back and forth in front of the wall a few times until a door appeared out of nowhere. He held it open for Kie and slipped in behind her, knowing full well that they were as good a couple for each other as Miss Hannah and Professor Longbottom were.


	30. Year 6: Early May

**Just a quick one! This was a request, and I loved writing it. Thank you so much for the idea! By the way guys, I'll take any requests or suggestions of things you want to see. Like I said before, I want my writing to be enjoyed by all, so I seriously read what you all are saying and formulate ideas off of that. Writing shouldn't be an author shoving just their ideas down readers' throats. I believe it's free for all! So please let me know if you'd like to see a specific thing in this story.**

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Even though Scorpius was 'discharged' from his inpatient status at the hospital wing, he still had to return to get his weight checked and to have his meetings with Miss Hannah. Today, he stepped up on the magical scale that sent the numbers straight to Madam Pomfrey's clipboard. "Oh my, Mr. Malfoy…" she murmured as they appeared. "You've gained a pound since last week! Excellent work! Celebrate with some ice cream—here, I'll go and get you some. Wait right there on your bed." She bustled off to get him his 'celebratory' treat—really, she did this at every checkup whether he gained weight or lost it. Scorpius smiled to himself though. She meant well. Miss Hannah approached his bed, a gentle grin sparkling on her cheeks. "Hello, Scorpius!" she greeted. Her honey curls bounced when she sat down across from him. "How have you been feeling recently?"

"Well Madam Pomfrey just found out I gained a pound this week, and I'm actually feeling considerably happier nowadays. Will you tell me about Professor Longbottom's proposal now?" he replied hopefully. She laughed.

"I promise I'll tell you after our session. It definitely worth the wait! Now why don't you tell me a little bit about what you've been doing to improve your thinking these past few days. How have controlled the negative thoughts and corralled them away?"

"Well, er…this may sound really stupid, but…I met this girl a while ago…and er…yeah, she's really helped me change my thinking."

"Good, good. I see you're letting go of the past and making room for the future. Excellent job. Why don't you start off telling me a bit about her. Tell me what makes her special to you."

"Just to start off, she's beautiful. I know it's bad to just look at that first, but it's true. Another great thing is that she's different—she's not a Gryffindor or a Slytherin or someone that I'm used to. She's completely unique and a Ravenclaw. I love her creativity—it never fails to brighten my day. Oh, and then there's the part we share. Turns out she's disabled too. And she tries to hide it just like I do."

"Similarities are wonderful qualities to look for, Scorpius. So what is her disability that she's hiding?"

"She's deaf in her right ear, and her left is _super_ sensitive to sound. She cringes even at a door closing. I guess I can relate to her because she never tells anyone she can't hear them, or that they're being too loud. Just like I don't tell people I'm not eating because it's a condition or I fake being happy around them. We want to hide from the real world. We share that."

"…Scorpius, do you love her?"

"….Er…w-we never talked about that…."

"But if someone were to ask you right now if you loved this girl or not, and you only could answer 'yes' or 'no', which would it be?"

"…I-I guess…I would say…yes. I really do. I haven't told her that yet, but I suppose…well…do you think it's time, Miss Hannah?"

"I believe the right time to say something like that is when it's dancing on the tip of your tongue, just wanting to spill out and present itself out there in the open. If you wait too long, she might become confused. But if you do it too soon, you might scare her. Just make sure the moment is right, the timing is set. I think you can judge that pretty well."

"Thank you,"

"So let's talk about your friends. How's Albus doing? James? Is Rose ready to take her N.E. yet?"

"Albus is amazing—he's the best friend anyone could have. Alright, don't tell Madam Pomfrey, but he always used to sneak in here to sleep beside me in the night so that I wouldn't be lonesome. Sometimes we still do that in Gryffindor Tower. Nights are always awful for me. It's cold and dark and too long. But Albus can almost sense that and he knows just when to climb in beside me and pull me close. James is doing well—he's sad it's his last few weeks at Hogwarts, but I'm sure he's going to get a job right away and that'll cheer him up. He wants to be an Auror. And Rose…gosh, Rose. She's so stressed about the N.E. . But I know she'll do great on all of them, and she doesn't even know what she wants to be! She's just passing all of these tests to be qualified in everything, and then select a job from whatever she wants. It's brilliant actually."

"Very good. I'm glad to hear that your friends make you feel confident. Having a strong base like that will really start to help you recognize your talents and your strengths—friends are always around when you need them to pick you back up. It's really important to maintain bonds like this. Sounds like you're doing a really good job with that. Now…Joseph Zabini…?"

"Yeah…he scared me a bit the other day."

"Oh? Can you tell me about it?"

"I was walking with Kie—that's my girlfriend—when all of a sudden we heard shouting coming from down the hallway between classes. So I told Kie to stay where she was because I didn't want the loud voices to hurt her ears while I investigated. I saw Zabini cornering Chrysanthemum, yelling something at her about me. He was saying things like 'You used him and it only makes you look bad' and 'Karma comes back hard, but you wouldn't know that because you are too busy snogging Rydeki during Divination to pay attention' and things that were clearly defending me, but in a sort of aggressive way. So before they saw me, I left the scene. Neither of them ever said a word to me. I can't really figure it out."

"It sounds like Joseph is upset at her for hurting you. It's a good thing, but just be wary of what she could spread around school. But that's with everything. I think you shouldn't be afraid—this certainly wasn't a bad thing. Perhaps they're all finally seeing that you've become stronger and moved on, while she sort of hasn't learned her lesson. I definitely think that you're visibly a stronger person and that doesn't go undetected by others. Good for you. But I would wait until Joseph brings it up around you, if ever. He may just be trying to support you without doing it directly. Not to change the subject abruptly, but how are things going at home? Have you spoken to your parents recently?"

"Yes, Miss Hannah. I wrote to them last night and got a letter back today. Father is doing really well now that he's adjusting to life in the Manor again. He and Mr. Potter are becoming better friends at work too—at least they're not avoiding each other anymore. Mother's still pretty frail, but she's happy to see him doing so well. She's happy I'm getting help. I think…I think seeing you has really relieved a lot of people. Not just me. Albus reminds me of topics to bring up to you, Mother is always proud of how much stronger I'm getting, and Father is glad a Malfoy finally sought help for once. I want to get better to become a person again—not just a hollow shell like I was."

"I think you've come a long way, Scorpius. I really do. But you've still got a ways to go. Don't be saddened by that—be glad! You've taken the first big steps to get help and recognize your problems, now it's just one foot in front of the other. We'll still do our little increments and take baby steps. Alright?"

"Thank you, Miss Hannah. For everything."

After a moment of silence, the Mind Healer gently pulled the frail boy into an embrace. She'd seen a lot of patients throughout her career, but Scorpius was the one she was most drawn to. He clearly wasn't doing any of this for attention, or to get back at anyone, or to cause fear or guilt towards someone else; this was all his mind working against him. Plain and simple as that. The hug broke when Madam Pomfrey bustled back towards his bed, a bowl resting in her grip. "Here we are!" she chirped, setting it down beside him. "I would've been here sooner, but those Scamander twins are throwing me for a loop! This morning before class they grabbed each other's wands and mixed them up, so in Defense Against the Dark Arts…well…I'm sure you know what happens when a wand realizes it isn't being used by its respective owners. They managed to turn each other into toads instead of casting a patronus! Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go find a cage somewhere…." She hurried off without another word, earning some giggles between the Healer and patient. Scorpius picked up the spoon. "Do I have to?" he asked. His stomach felt like it was churning already. Miss Hannah smiled sadly. "At least five bites," she replied.

"…I-I don't know that I can….I'm feeling sick…"

"When you take a bite, imagine you're sitting with Kie. Imagine she's eating ice cream with you, and after you finish, you two will go read under the oak trees. Isn't that what you like to do? Pretend that's what's happening."

"…I want to get better for her. She wants to see me get better, but I want to be around to protect her."

"Having a person that encourages and inspires you is crucial. You know that you're not necessarily getting better to make her happy, but rather yourself; you want to move past your obstacles so that you can be strong when she encounters her own. Not only is that very selfless, Scorpius, but it's truly important."

Scorpius took a hesitant spoonful of the ice cream. His stomach was waging war against him, but he pushed through until he took a minimum of five bites, just as his Healer instructed. She grinned. "You're doing so well." she murmured. Scorpius leaned back against his pillows and asked to hear the story about how Neville proposed marriage to her. He played with the ring on her finger admiringly as she told him that Neville had brought her to the Room of Requirement, cooked her favorite dinner for her in there, then gave her some sort of magical plant that if she spoke the words 'Open heart, open mind'. "It was a beautiful plant—looked almost like a budding lily." she detailed. "So he asked me to try saying the words to it, and I did, and suddenly all of the closed up petals opened to reveal a beautiful flower that smelled incredibly wonderful. And…right there in the middle of all the pink petals…there was a ring." Scorpius grinned from ear to ear. He knew his professor would do something that personal and romantic. He was beyond happy that his two favorite people were getting married to each other. Scorpius could only hope that someday he would be healthy and strong enough to come up with such a wonderful proposal to an amazing girl…


	31. Summer Break Before Year 7

**Ok, I've been getting a lot of requests for this one! I had so much fun writing it. I hope you all love it too! By the way, if you find it hard to understand who may be talking, it's intentional - I meant for everything to be jumbled together. Hopefully it all still makes sense!**

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Draco smoothed out the sleeves of Scorpius's dress shirt, tenderly stroking the back of his son's head. "Don't be nervous," he murmured quietly. Scorpius turned his gaze to the floor in embarrassment. "You don't have to answer anything you're uncomfortable with." his father reminded. The smaller blonde nodded, fidgeting with his collar and pulling on his tie. This was a particularly difficult event—his entire family was all coming together for a dinner party, and Kie was going to be joining them. Astoria thought it to be a marvelous idea to have her for dinner, as they had Chrissy over occasionally when Scorpius was dating her, but of course the Greengrass family invited themselves at their own convenience, and Astoria had to merge the two events.

The first knock at the doors to the Malfoy Manor was, to Scorpius's relief, Kie Lin. He greeted her warmly and introduced her to his parents. They liked her. She dressed in a knee-length teal dress that made her figure look adorable and it was quite difficult for Scorpius to stop staring. Astoria immediately was taken to the girl, talking like best friends and full of joy that her son had chosen such a delightful young woman. Scorpius couldn't stop blushing. Draco liked Kie too—her humor made him chuckle, her manners earned his respect. The two children went to go be seated at the long dinner table in waiting for the other guests. Scorpius didn't mind being apart from all the bustling; he knew the worst was yet to come.

Sitting at that table was like revisiting Draco's memories.

Once everyone arrived, they'd all seated in a sort of stilled silence that fell because it had been decades since the Malfoys and the Greengrasses were all together in the same room. Astoria tried to be light and conversational, but topics died quickly and things sometimes were…a bit controversial. Astoria and Kie often chatted to each other mostly in hopes someone would join in. A house-elf walked around the table, setting out dishes of food. The presence of cooked nourishment seemed to bring out the better moods for some reason, because that's when chatter and banter occurred. "Dear boy!" Mrs. Greengrass exclaimed, looking down at Scorpius's plate. "You're supposed to be growing, not shrinking! Put some more food on that plate!" Kie tensed ever so slightly beside him. Narcissa placed her fingertips on his left knee. Scorpius cleared his throat, taking a sideways glance at his father to discretely demonstrate his discomfort with the situation. "I'm fine, Nana. I had quite a lunch today." he replied smoothly. He did have Slytherin blood in him, after all. Mrs. Greengrass scoffed. "Not nearly as much as you should have. Just look at yourself—you're wasting away! Whatever the trouble is, it's not worth starving yourself over." she senselessly carried on. Scorpius felt his fists tighten into balls under the tablecloth. She didn't know about his disorder, his depression, his suicide attempts. Only Lucius and Narcissa did. "Mother…" Astoria quietly scolded. Something tapped Scorpius high up on his thigh. He looked down. Kie was removing her wandtip from his lap, leaving a message written in her handwriting on the white cloth of the napkin. _Don't be upset, _it read. _This topic will pass_. Scorpius squeezed her fingers under the table in gratitude; but the conversation did not shift away from Scorpius's appearance. "…shame that Hogwarts would allow a child to get this thin. Don't they still have the regularly scheduled meals and such? Surely you could've been eating _something_ all this time. You haven't gotten any taller—how much do you actually weigh, Scorpius?"

"Idyllis, please." Narcissa interrupted abruptly, inadvertently startling Lucius who was pretending to not be listening beside her. "Let's not judge him by appearance. We must remember that not too long ago he was regarded a 'hero of the Wizarding World'." She turned her head to look at her grandson, smiling gently and proudly. Scorpius thanked her with his eyes.

"He dueled a much more advanced wizard in the Three Broomsticks." Kie chirped in helpfully.

"…He's a typical Malfoy alright…throwing hexes around and endangering lives…" Daphne mumbled into a bite of chicken. Astoria's eyes widened as she dropped her fork.

"Say it again, Daphne." she challenged.

"Say what? I haven't spoken a word."

"I dare you. Say it one more time."

Bazel decided to end the argument there. "Scorpius did good for the Malfoy name. Everyone agrees with that, all around the world. You must be very proud to be his parents and grandparents. Such bravery was not seen so outwardly before Scorpius's time." he said serenely.

It was Lucius's turn to actually step into the conversation. He took a small sip from his goblet, trying to be as casual as possible. If anything, this was his house; he needed to remain calm for the stability of all guests. "My cousin-in-law was extraordinarily brave." he said, attempting politeness. "Cissa had a cousin that was the only Black Sorted into Gryffindor for years. He was a great man…it was a shame I knew him for a very short amount of time."

"Sirius Black," Kie said aloud. Apparently she'd figured it out faster than the other guests.

Lucius smiled at her. "Indeed it was. Harry Potter's godfather. He lived through imprisonment in Azkaban, survived societal shunning. Yet he still did everything possible to protect his family. It's a rather stunning story, if I do say so myself."

"But…you survived your Azkaban sentence. And you did more than what you were capable of to protect you family too. Maybe you two were more similar than you thought." she went on thoughtfully. Mrs. Greengrass had no words. Daphne and Theo stared at her blankly.

"…Such charming words, Miss Lin. Thank you." Lucius replied. The girl gave a cheerful smile, then went back to focusing on her meal. Overtop her head, he gave Scorpius a discrete approving nod.

Draco stayed quiet for most of the dinner, occasionally making some baby talk to little Constantine who was having more fun rolling her carrots around in her highchair than actually eating them. Mrs. Greengrass let out a very dramatic sigh to capture everyone's attention again. "I was so proud to read in the newspapers that my grandson was the very definition of bravery." she announced. No one commented. What else was there to say? "But…it's too bad that all I could do was read about it in a newspaper because my own daughter_ shut me out!_" She burst into heaving sobs. Astoria gave a tremendous eye-roll.

"Goodness, Mother, pull it together. Nobody shut you out. You were upset with Daphne and I because I kept the secret that she was pregnant before she got married and that's why you stopped talking to us." she snapped.

"Thanks for shouting it to the world, Astoria! We should call you _the Daily Prophet_ now!" Daphne shot back. Apparently she kept quiet about her unplanned pregnancy.

"Did you really think you could hide it? Honestly? It was stupid to think you could concoct some grand scheme to cover it up."

"It would've been fine if you hadn't refused to say anything at my wedding when I told everyone! Way to betray me, Astoria! That's what I get for letting my sister marry that _snake!_"

"Don't you call my son a snake!" Narcissa raised her voice a bit.

"Idyllis! P-Please sit down!" Mr. Greengrass stammered. He, like Lucius, had been trying to avoid getting involved in any topics of conversation that were touchy.

"What are you going to do, Mother—throw another champagne glass?!" Astoria shouted.

"If I remember correctly, Daphne," Lucius coolly stated towards the woman across the table. "You husband's father was a Death Eater just like your brother-in-law's was. Why is it…just my son that you have a problem with? Your hypocrisy is astounding."

"You all started it!" she screeched in response. "You were his most faithful followers! You even let him stay here in your home! Theo was never a Death Eater—he made the right choices! B-Bellatrix Lestrange was even…_related_ to your wife! Evil runs in your family, Mr. Malfoy!"

Bazel let out a heavy sigh to interrupt his mother's slandering. "No, Mother, we all already know that Astoria's curse is in no way connected to Draco's doing. That's an argument for the museums, it's so outdated."

"Shut up! You're my favorite as of right now!" Mrs. Greengrass screamed to her son.

Baby Constantine started wailing from getting no attention and having the room be so loud. Scorpius looked over to his right. Kie was grimacing. Mrs. Greengrass threw her fork down onto the table and leaned across it to shout something at Astoria and Draco. Kie's hands flew to her ears; it was all becoming too much. "U-Uncle Bazel, Kie—" Scorpius began to yell over the noise. Either Bazel or Lucius could stop arguments like these. Right now it seemed both were right in the thick of it. "BOTH OF MY DAUGHTERS THINK SO LOW OF ME," Mrs. Greengrass screamed out. "THAT THEY HIDE THEIR PERSONAL LIVES FROM THEIR OWN MOTHER! ONE'S PREGNANT BEFORE MARRIAGE, THE OTHER'S DYING AND RESURRECTING—"

"Dying and resurrecting?" Draco shouted in shock. "Do you even have an _inkling_ of how serious this curse is?!"

"Get your hands off me, Bazel!" Daphne shrieked as her brother tried to calm her down. "You're so backwards that you haven't even looked at another woman after your fiancé died because you 'found your soulmate but lost her too soon'! You don't even know _anything_ about love! And meanwhile, the Malfoys don't either because all they do is stab extended family in the back and work for their own self-interest for whatever Dark Lord offers them _POWER!_"

And with that, Daphne whipped her wand out and pointed it at Lucius. But instead of firing a hex at him, she used her magic to make the entire table levitate up a few inches, then she swung it down so hard that all the plateware slid off and crashed onto the floor. A few of the table's wooden beams cracked. The noise was tremendous.

Kie actually screamed in pain.

Scorpius scrambled away from the rattling table as Daphne held it under her control and grabbed his girlfriend. He cupped his hands over her own and her ears, rushing her out of the dining room as fast as he could and up the flights of stairs. The adults continued arguing as if no one had left—maybe even more so, because without the innocent ears around they could now use as many swears as they wanted. Scorpius hurriedly tucked Kie into his own bedroom, shutting the door and casting a Silencing Charm around it. In the silence of the room, Kie's body wracked with painful shudders as her head was filled with sharp daggers. He hesitated before approaching her right away—he didn't want to scare her. She sank onto the floor, holding her left ear and crying. Scorpius gingerly sat beside her. He wrapped his bony arms around her lovingly, pulling her close so that her aching side was resting against his shoulder. "I'm sorry," he whispered even though he knew she wouldn't hear him. "They're all nutters. Who goes to a family gathering and ends up throwing tables? I swear they practice these things. At Aunt Daphne's wedding, Nana threw a wineglass. But now apparently they've moved onto…bigger and better things…" Kie's crying was reduced to whimpering, but her ear still ached tremendously. Scorpius shifted his weight and picked her up in his arms, carrying her over to his bed and laying her on top of it. He covered her with the neatly-folded throw blanket. "Just try to rest it off," he futilely advised. Kie grabbed his hand. "S-Stay…" she whispered. He nodded. "Always," he mouthed in response to her quiet plea.

It took a long time for Narcissa and Lucius to open the bedroom door quietly and peek inside, as the battle downstairs went on for an even longer duration after the young ones fled. Narcissa gently rubbed Kie's shoulder. "Are you alright dear? I saw you looked a bit uncomfortable down there." she softly asked. Lucius took a tender hold on Scorpius's shoulder. Kie nodded. "I do sincerely apologize, ma'am. And I'll apologize to Scorpius's parents as well. My first time at a Pureblood home and I mess it up like that…" the girl despondently returned.

"You didn't mess anything up. Daphne did that. You should see the table now—it isn't even recognizable. Scorpius, your mother turned it into a large snake to show her mother what a 'real snake' looked like. Mr. Greengrass tried to change it back, it got stuck halfway, now it sort of looks like a twisted old log with a serpent's tongue….quite the sight."

"What did you mean by your first visit to a Pureblood home?" Lucius asked out of nowhere.

Kie blushed. "I-I'm a Half-Blood. So I didn't know how Purebloods lived, and of course I had to screw everything up—er, excuse me…I mean…mess everything up." Kie replied. Scorpius could see Lucius thinking hard about her blood status, but eventually he sincerely smiled at her and assured her that nothing that went wrong was her fault at all. "Did it all get resolved?" Scorpius asked his grandmother. The woman shook her head. "Theo and Daphne are now fighting with each other, so they left separately, but Astoria's upset with Daphne for throwing the table and also at her mother for being so accusatory, Draco's upset with Bazel for not helping him put a stop to everything, and we're just upset about all the retaining of past mistakes that family likes to…oh, what did Daphne call it? _Resurrect?_" Narcissa said. Scorpius cracked a smile. "B-But we're all ok, right? No one in the Malfoy family is fighting each other?" he checked.

Lucius chuckled. "Malfoys have brains. We don't fight with one another senselessly, we fix problems at the roots. Unfortunately, Astoria's roots are a little…twisted."

Kie went back downstairs and explained to Draco, Astoria, Lucius, and Narcissa about her sensitive ear and begged for their forgiveness, as she was 'rude' to get up and leave the table abruptly. The family felt bad for her, but they only respected her more because she never called attention to her disability or the fact that she was hurting. Just like Scorpius. They invited her back any time she wanted to return, and they promised not to involve the Greengrass family next time.

…Not that the Greengrasses would be willing to face the family again.


	32. Summer Break Before Year 7 part two

**This is a short one, but I think you'll like it. :) More is on the way!**

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Scorpius squeezed his eyes closed, taking in the warm summer sun and the gentle breeze that blew through the gardens of the Malfoy Manor. He felt a pair of hands settle gently on his waist, rubbing tenderly as a voice murmured in his ear. "That's it…think of whatever makes you happy…." Scorpius focused hard. He pictured his family, his beautiful girlfriend, his old Pygmy Puff, his grandparents, baby Constantine…

"_Expecto Patronum!_" he cast, swinging his wand up and pointing it before him.

A weak strand of white slipped from the tip of his wand, then vaporized into thin air. Scorpius heaved a sigh—six times of trying and he never improved from that point. Kie hugged his middle. "It's alright," she encouraged. "You're getting there. It'll show up in no time, and it'll be beautiful. Promise." The pair sat down on the little stone path. Scorpius was silent, never taking his eyes off the ground. A few minutes of quiet breezes rustling the perfected tree leaves passed with no talking. "Kie," he whispered almost inaudibly. She leaned closer to hear him. "Do you think I can't do this because of…you know, the depression?" he shakily finished. Kie thought about this. "No, I don't think so." she answered. "I believe that if you concentrate on the happy thoughts to try to control the sadness, it might hinder the patronus, because the objective is to make the happy thoughts your everything. Depression can't even be on your mind remotely. I know it's difficult for you to push it all aside, but when you think about your happy things, focus all that energy into making a patronus. I think you're inadvertently trying to push the depression away at the same time. Just guide that happiness right to your wand." Scorpius took this all in. Leave the depression and the real world behind for a moment; look at only the good. He nodded, glancing into her beautiful hazel eyes. She helped him stand up, guided his wand into the proper position, and put her hands on his tiny waist again. "Ready?" she breathed into his ear. Another nod. Scorpius gently closed his eyelids, concentrating on specifics…

His father happily carrying his mother through the front door after her being released from a St. Mungo's stay.

Scruffy the Pygmy Puff all curled up next to his head on the pillow, eagerly giving him good-morning kisses.

Kie laughing as she removed her soaking wet black cloak revealing her white blouse that had also become a victim of their kissing in the rain, clinging to her in all the right places.

The big, strong Lucius practically melting with joy as he wrapped Narcissa in a loving embrace.

Professor Longbottom placing the sword of Godric Gryffindor into Scorpius's own hands, telling him how brave he was and how every ounce of him was filled with courage.

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM!_" Scorpius shouted, waving his wand in a circle above his head. Immediately a bolt blasted from his wandtip, the white magic bouncing around before him. It began to swirl together into a form. Scorpius's eyes widened as a dolphin began swimming through midair, gracefully gliding around with strength and sleekness. Kie gasped. Within seconds the patronus disappeared, leaving a few white wisps in its recession. Both young kids stayed frozen. "You did it," Kie whispered. "You did it—all on your own." Scorpius didn't know what to say. She'd helped him more than anything, but how could he even put that into words? "A…A-A dolphin?" he asked aloud. Kie nodded. "I read about it. It's very rare—a dolphin symbolizes adaptation to change. It displays affection and gets attached to important beings, and it powers through struggle relying on independence with assistance from others. Dolphins work in teams. Dolphins have a hidden strength behind their beauty. Scorpius…it's entirely you." she breathlessly explained. Again, he had no words. A dolphin as a patronus—was it really that rare? He'd never even heard about it before.

Suddenly, Scorpius began laughing. He was so happy, so proud, so _strong_ that he couldn't hold the happiness in. He swept Kie off her feet and into a big hug. He passionately kissed her lips, holding her as close to him as physically possible. She was the reason he was even learning how to cast a patronus. They no longer taught in so in-depth at Hogwarts in a normal-level class, and she'd only learned because her parents taught her how to send one for help if she ever needed it with her condition. She passed her knowledge onto her love. "Thank you," he whispered between heated kisses. "Thank you for being the best thing in my life. I love you,"

What?

That last part just slipped out. What had he even said? How would she take it? Was it too soon? But Kie only gasped and gripped him tighter. "I love you too. I love you more than you know." she gasped out, deepening their kiss until they fell to the ground in an embrace. Scorpius felt so warm and happy on the inside—he'd just proved he could let go of the past, of the sadness, and now this wonderful girl was telling him that she loved him more than he thought possible. He felt wave after wave of sheer passion crash over him. Scorpius truly felt for the first time ever that his life was getting back on track, that he had people he could trust to stay loyal to him, and more importantly that he always had the strength inside of him just waiting to be let out.


	33. Year 7: Late August

**Can you believe Scorpius is actually in his seventh year? I hope you enjoy this chapter. Don't worry - it isn't the end! We still have a whole year to go. And what a year it will be...**

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It was actually difficult for Scorpius to say goodbye to his parents before departing for his final year at Hogwarts. It seemed to him that every year got harder and harder—before, he didn't know why. But he figured it out as he was sitting in one of the compartments of the Hogwarts Express; every time he left it meant he was older, it meant he was growing up. He might be growing up in age, but he knew deep down he still needed them.

He was scared.

Scorpius was realizing that age was meaningless to him—no matter how old he was, he would still feel the need for his parents. Maybe it was because he was a preemie baby, maybe it was because he had a disorder that needed supervision. He didn't know for sure. But all he was certain about was that he was indeed a very attached person, meaning that he really loved the people he cared about and would do anything to keep them safe and happy. And while he was apart from them, he was scared for their wellbeing. Perhaps he was a control freak, it was possible he was neurotic; he was Scorpius Malfoy. That was that. People loved him for who he was, and he was happy with it now.

Scorpius currently sat at the big Gryffindor table, watching all the incoming first-years get sorted into their Houses for the first time. Every time the Hat called out 'Gryffindor', he swore Headmistress McGonagal would look at him and give a small smile. Albus fidgeted beside him. "Can these kids move a little faster? I'm starved!" he whispered loudly. Rose rolled her eyes. "Mind is always on your stomach, isn't it?" she snapped.

"Indeed it is, Rosie, but did you grow two inches over the summer? No, because you don't eat like I do."

"Grow two inches which way—vertically or horizontally?"

"…That was low, Rose."

Hugo elbowed them to be quiet. Scorpius smiled when Rose didn't stop her mumbling. "All he ever think about is girls and food. Practically consumes both at the same speed, if you ask me, sometimes multiple at once."

"Rose, you know it wasn't like that!" Albus hissed.

"You were dating two girls at once without telling the other! Sounds pretty sneaky to me…"

"It…I just…alright, I just couldn't break up with Janice and I really liked Emmeline and because of that I just sort of…well it wasn't like it was _intentional!_ ….Stop looking at me like that!"

While Albus silently raged and fumed, Rose raised an eyebrow and held her nose high in the air, as if threatening she'd tell the two girls if he didn't behave. Scorpius felt the table shift a little. Albus had reached beneath it and kicked Rose in the shin to prove that he was angry…like that needed any discovery. The rest of the Sorting was fairly quick, considering the little blonde was trying desperately to retain his laughter at the Potter/Weasley family feud. The very last first-year was placed in Hufflepuff—the last Gryffindor was a small mousy-haired boy that sat off by himself at the end of the table; apparently he didn't know anyone. Scorpius grinned over at the Ravenclaw table, where the prefects were guiding their first-years into their seats at the long feast. His prefect. His Kie. When she visited once in the summer, Draco had surprised her with a little device (or whatever you call it) he'd made himself; he'd taken a small cottonball, squeezed it tight so it was dense, then spelled it with a weak Silencing Charm so that when Kie had it in her left ear, the screechingly painful noise would be lessened a bit. She could now stand to stay at a whole feast without having to cover her ears or excuse herself halfway through. She eagerly waved with one hand as she helped a small Ravenclaw swing over the bench. A thumbs-up indicated to Scorpius that his father's creation was working.

Albus piled his plate with so much food it almost equaled the amount that was on the table itself. Rose scorned this, of course, but didn't make a bigger deal considering she had constructed quite a plate of her own. Scorpius glanced down at the end of the table and saw that the tiny first-year wasn't talking to anyone. He was completely alone.

Scorpius knew all too well what that felt like.

So he nudged Albus, diverting his attention from another snap at Rose to listen to what he was trying to say. "Hey, I'm going to move down a little bit, alright? Kid looks kinda lonely." the blonde softly explained. Albus nodded, glancing down to the end of the table to see the small first-year picking delicately at his food. "At least I've got one good-hearted friend…" he mumbled into his mouthful of chocolate pudding. Scorpius pushed himself up from the bench and quickly slipped to the end of the table, where he sat down beside the boy. "Hello," he greeted softly. The lonely kid looked up at him, a bit startled. "Hi," he meekly responded.

"I'm really glad you're in Gryffindor."

"…O-Oh…I-I don't know that I'm really supposed to be here…"

"What do you mean? Did you request to be put in this House?"

"No,"

"Then you're supposed to be here. The Hat knows every single person inside and out, and even though it takes preference into consideration, it may not be the best fit. Trust me. I know."

"Of course you know. You're Scorpius Malfoy. They _let_ you switch Houses."

"…Want to know the truth about that? I had to change Houses because I _did_ request to follow my bloodline. The Hat wanted me to be in Gryffindor all along—but I fought fate. I thought that because my last name was Malfoy, I had to be in Slytherin. Things became so terrible and hard for me that Headmistress McGonagal had no choice but to remove me from the situation—for my own good. Honestly."

"…How long did it take for you to start feeling…included?"

"It took a very, very long time. Because I was doing it all alone. But once I became best friends with this older Gryffindor, my friend's brother, he taught me new things and defended me when I needed it. You've just got to meet the right people to feel like you belong."

"…I-I'm a…I'm a Mudblood."

"Don't say that! You're Muggleborn. That's the better word. Your blood isn't tainted in any way because you aren't from the wizarding world."

"A girl on the train called me that,"

"Well she's stupid. I bet she was a first-year, am I right?"

"Yes,"

"Just take it from a seventh-year—you're really just like everybody else. I'm a pureblood, but my girlfriend is a Half-Blood, and I love her more and more each day. None of that stuff matters. Have you met any friends yet?"

"No…"

"That's alight; you will in time. It's only the first night. And you've really just been in the wizarding world for a few hours now. Everything's going to work out, please trust me on that."

"…I think I miss my family…."

The boy actually started to sniffle; his eyes reddened with the threat to spill tears. Scorpius reached over and put his arm around his shoulders. "Don't cry!" he begged. "Don't be sad! I miss my family every single day, every single night, every single minute. And I've been coming here for seven years! Eventually you'll meet a lot of friends that will be kind to you and make Hogwarts your home away from home—that's what you need when you're lonely. You need someone to remind you that you're loved."

"D-Do owls go t-t-to Muggle houses with letters?"

"Of course they do. They'll know exactly how to get there and back using the shortest route so your response comes as quickly as possible. You can write to them a lot, you know. I do. Sometimes even twice a day."

"R-Really?"

"Sure! You know what, I think you and I are a lot alike."

"…Do you maybe want to be friends then?"

Scorpius looked down at this smaller reflection of himself. Sure the kid could eat normal meals, yes he came from a Muggle home, of course he wasn't stricken with unrelenting depression. But he was scared, and he was all new to this sort of environment. Scorpius considered these two things the biggest commonality between them. He nodded, patting the boy's shoulders gently. "I would love to be your friend. You can come to me about anything." he answered. Finally, the boy cracked a smile. "I'm Michael," he said. "I'm really glad I have you to look up to."

"…To look up to?" Scorpius asked. He hadn't heard anything like this before.

"Of course. You're really brave, the kids on the train said. We saw you sitting with Harry Potter's youngest son. We figured you must be important if you were with him. Not to mention all the other kids told me about how you dueled for your father's life in a restaurant—that's pretty brilliant."

"Oh…er, yeah that happened. Just…anything you need at all…well….just never feel like there isn't any hope. Someone is always willing to be there to be help you—someone can make even the slightest difference. Never give up hope, alright?"

"Yep,"

Scorpius knew that if James Potter could see him now, he'd be smiling. He hoped that if the boy that had reached out to him to prove he was constantly there for any support influenced him so much as to inspire him to do the same for another little boy, then perhaps his own influence would rub off. Scorpius smiled. He talked to Michael a little bit, telling him all about the classes, the professors, the castle. The feast actually went by pretty fast since their conversation went so well. When everyone broke out and ran to their commonrooms, Scorpius felt a warm hand slip into his own. Kie smiled up at him. _I saw you with that boy,_ she said in sign language, being unable to hear entirely with the charmed cotton in her ear that had magically strengthened itself against the loud atmosphere. Scorpius could understand her—she taught him over the summer. _You really are a leader._ That was all she had to say to make him stop in his tracks, pull her flush up against him, and passionately kiss her until he heard the professors beginning to bid each other goodnight as they left the Great Hall.

_I love you,_ Scorpius signed as best he could.

_I love you too._ She replied with a grin.

_Forever,_

_And ever_.


	34. Year 7: Late October

**I hope you like this one! More is coming. Sorry about the wait! Let me know what you think...**

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Scorpius stayed friends with Michael and guided him through his first few months in an attempt to alleviate the feeling of isolation spurred by leaving his family. In a way, it made him feel a little better about himself—he could see he was making a difference in another's life. Michael in turn was very happy to have Scorpius around, because he felt safe and like he had someone around to steer him to the right castle wing, to pick him up when he was sad, to sit at meals with. He even met Kie a few times. She was always very kind to him, as she was with everyone, but she could understand more personal things occurring in the boy's life, thanks to her motherly instinct and the fact that she was a year younger than Scorpius.

Whenever Kie saw Chrysanthemum Creevey snogging her new boyfriend passionately and publicly for the sole purpose of letting everyone know how intimate they were, she grabbed Scorpius's hand tighter, placed a delicate kiss to his cheek, and began communicating with him in sign language—because only they were able to understand what they were saying back in forth. It doubled as a way of talking as well as a non-disgusting display of intimacy. As far as schoolwork and friends went, Scorpius was really enjoying his seventh year at Hogwarts. Rose was ahead of him in only two classes (although he planned for _that_ to change). Albus was Quidditch Team Captain, so he always had a humorous reenactment of a practice play or the sort to make light of any situation.

But home wasn't going so easy for Scorpius. At least not starting that October….

Albus Potter was sitting in his dorm, composing a little note he was going to slip inside his girlfriend's Quidditch locker, when suddenly his owl fluttered against the window, banging its wings and beak urgently at the glass. Albus hastily allowed it entrance to the Gryffindor boys' dormitory. The moment his owl was inside, it hurriedly shoved its foot out so its master could take the letter off. Albus tossed it some treats as he unfolded the parchment. The letter was from the Head Auror Office at the Ministry of Magic. The letter was from his father. Albus's eyes scanned the paper, widening as they read.

_…did everything we could…_

_…and was pronounced dead at the scene, but we had them brought to St. Mungo's anyway just in case._

_If you take it upon yourself to tell him…_

_...or that, considering there was nothing anybody could._

_He's going to be devastated, and I don't know what that'll do for his current condition._

_…do, but just love and support him. Show him so much love, Albus…_

Even after rereading it, Albus couldn't believe what he was seeing. How could this happen? How did it happen? Oh, god…what would Scorpius do? Without even thinking, Albus darted out of his bed, his dormitory, his commonroom. He tore down the staircases and towards the library, where he knew Kaya Lin would probably be in deep study as she usually was on Thursday evenings. The moment he found her sitting all by herself at a table, he threw his arms around her (which was quite strange, considering he didn't talk to her as much as he had to Chrissy). He didn't know he was even crying. She gasped but instantly pulled him into a hug reflexively, asking him quietly what was wrong—if Scorpius was alright. Albus hastily explained the predicament and his role in it, and Kie sadly agreed to take part in this heartbreaking exposure to her boyfriend. "I-I'm…I'm scared!" Albus sobbed onto her shoulder. "I'm so scared f-for him! Why do things like this happen to such a good person?! It isn't fair! He's gonna…he's gonna…oh god, he's gonna _hurt_ himself! He's going to give up everything he's worked so hard to create! We're…we're gonna lose him…." He broke down, not caring who was watching or what he was even saying—he had never been this scared for Scorpius in his life. The boy was in such delicate form even with the counseling and help he was receiving; such tragedy could set him back. But would it? Or had Scorpius become stronger?

Kie hugged Albus for a long time, concern setting into her bones as well. She tried to be positive. "How about you go get cleaned up, and then we'll meet after dinner to give him the news. The owl from the Ministry that's probably on its way is more than likely going to go to the Headmistress's office. She's the one that tells kids when…"

"Yeah, s-she does. But as soon as they call him to her office he's just going to know something happened and he'll—"

"But Albus, his other family members might be there to tell him. It doesn't mean he'll hear it from her directly; she may even have them tell him when she's not in the room. Wasn't his grandfather waiting there after the heart attack?"

"Lucius was there to bring Scorpius home…"

"So maybe…maybe others will be there to love him—he deserves to find out in a place where there's comfort accessible."

"I don't think we should say anything to him, though."

"You don't?"

"No. If he doesn't hear all the details, which we have very little of, he'll panic even more. I think we should wait for the family to tell him because they'll have been informed about everything."

"But what if he doesn't trust us after—"

"He's not going to trust anyone after this."

It took a while for Kie to accept the fact that she couldn't say anything to her boyfriend about the tragedy—mainly because she was finding it hard to put on a happy face for him when she knew his heart was about to be shattered in a few hours. Albus nodded. He headed back towards the Gryffindor washroom to take a shower and get himself looking normal so there wouldn't be any raised suspicions. Meanwhile, Kie bit her lip and paced on the castle bridge until it was time to just go back inside and put on a brave face.

Albus gasped when he saw Scorpius wrapping a towel around his tiny waist, having just stepped out of the shower. He should've known! Scorpius always went to the washroom when nobody was around—he was extremely self-conscious about his skinny form. He turned around. "Oh, hey Albus." he said, not a care in the world. "I didn't think you came down to shower this early,"

"Er…I-I just thought….er…maybe I should before dinner." Albus fumbled.

"I see. Going out with that girl again tonight?"

"N-No…not tonight…."

"Oh, I just figured that since she told you she liked your scent you might be showering to go out with her. You ok? Your eyes are red."

"I-I'm fine….Actually, I've…never been better."

"Well, then you must be going out with that girl then. Either that or you're taking two girls on a date at once!" Scorpius winked, repeating an inside joke they brought up in relation to Albus's previous courting of two girls he couldn't decide upon. Albus tried to laugh.

"I-I think I'm going to hop in the shower now. Have to stop smelling like a Q-Quidditch field if I want to keep the girls coming to me…."

Scorpius nodded, giving a slight chuckle. He turned around and gently toweled his thin blonde strands. Just as Albus passed him slowly to get into the shower and start undressing, he glanced back; Scorpius just looked so cheerful….If only he knew what was ahead of him….Albus stopped. He turned around and wrapped his arms tenderly around his little friend's damp body, just holding him close. It took a few seconds for Scorpius to question anything. "Albus?" he whispered into the boy's shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"I just want you to know that I love you."

"I know that you do. And I love you too. You're like a brother."

"You're so strong. I just want you to be happy."

"…Er…Albus? I-I'm in a towel….maybe I should dress a little…?"

Albus let go, trying to hide the tears in his eyes. "Er, yeah…" he muttered, turning to head back to the showers. "Sorry for the awkward…" Scorpius smiled sadly. "Don't be sorry. I appreciate it, I really do. It's just…the state I'm in…you know…" he said, referring to his minimally-clothed body. Albus swallowed a lump. "Yeah…the state you're in…" he murmured, immediately hurrying to privacy so that he could just cry and picture Scorpius's smile and feel the guilt in not telling his friend the truth right away…

During dinner, it only got worse. Scorpius was sitting with Rose and Albus as usual, little Michael glued to his side. Halfway through, as he was doing _so good_ with eating a whole chicken wing, McGonagal had him pulled from the table and sent to her office. She followed the confused boy with a grave expression. Kie watched worriedly as he walked away, glancing at Albus. He waited until his friend was far gone. Then, he motioned for Kie to follow him out of the Great Hall. They flew through the corridors in near silence towards the big Gargoyles. Albus knew the password—he'd overheard Slughorn roaring a little too loudly with laughter when he read what the code to get into McGonagal's office. "Candied pickles," he whispered. They parted, revealing the huge doors.

Albus and Kie crouched beside the wood, pressing their ears against it to hear what was going on. For the most part it was just McGonagal talking, then it turned to inaudible whispering. Then a gasp. Then crying. Kie's eyes watered at the heartbreaking sound of her boyfriend's tearful questions, which were more often than not just a simple "_Why?_" But suddenly the doors swung open and both kids accidentally tumbled inside. McGonagal discovered them. Astoria, Draco, Lucius, Narcissa, Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass, Bazel, and Constantine were all seated around Scorpius, holding him, stroking his hair, crying right along with him. McGonagal looked shocked. "Oh…" she murmured in surprise. "I didn't realize we had others wanting to share the grief…." Scorpius turned to look at his friends; he was too tearful for words. Standing up (and helping Kie in the process), Albus felt his own tears come when he looked at his best friend. "I'm so sorry that this happened to them…." he whispered. Scorpius's eyes were red with anger and sheer despair. He looked up at the Potter boy with a shifting expression—one that quickly evaporated into a hard stare.

"You knew,"

Albus felt his breath hitch. Yes, he knew. He knew and he didn't tell Scorpius. Because he thought he was protecting him—he thought it was better if he could hold onto that happiness for just a bit longer… "I-I'm sorry…" he whispered. But Scorpius sobbed. "You knew and you didn't tell me!"

"I just wanted you to be happy—"

"Am I happy?! Am I happy now?! I know you couldn't control what happened to them, but you at least could've let me know so that it all didn't happen at once!"

"…I know! I'm sorry!"

"I get pulled away from the friends I love to hear that my aunt and uncle _died_, and my cousin is now _an orphan!_"

Kie had her hands over her mouth silent tears slipping down her cheeks. Astoria looked frailer than ever. Draco was pale and drawn. Bazel held Constantine on his lap somberly. "It was an accident…" Narcissa whispered. "It was a simple mistake. They're being persecuted now….they didn't know. He just looked so much like his father—"

"But they had to know! They had to know Uncle Theo wasn't Nott—the Death Eater that's in Azkaban!" Scorpius shouted.

"It was a mistake….those people are in big trouble now. They're facing a life sentence."

Kie rushed to Scorpius and took his hand. Albus just didn't want to upset his friend any further—he stayed where he was. It was a long time before anyone spoke again. Mrs. Greengrass leaned over to her surviving daughter to hiss into her ear. "And to think she died _mad_ at you…." Astoria's body trembled, Lucius put a strong arm around her protectively. Scorpius held on to his family, his girlfriend, anyone that would offer him some kind of comfort. The loss of his Aunt Daphne and Uncle Theo, and the thought of Constantine growing up without parents completely devastated him….


	35. Year 7: Early November

**Sorry it took so long to get this one up - I just really wanted it to go somewhere; to make it special. I think you're going to like it. But let me know what you think, as always. And if you'd like to see this go in a different direction, just say the word. Like I said, I like to follow what the readers want.**

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Scorpius, to Kie's surprise, was rather quiet about his aunt and uncle's deaths; she expected that he'd be set back in his progress, that he wouldn't have the desire to move forward anymore. But Scorpius's strength surprised her. Of course he was sad, and of course he tried to hide that from everyone, but in the meantime he kept to himself about it. He barely spoke. His friends just let him be that way, because they knew that pushing him to express his emotions or something like that would only lead to him exploding and possibly breaking down. Kie offered him love whenever she could. Rose brought homework back for him whenever he couldn't get up and face a day of class.

But Albus was feeling a little differently.

He was genuinely sad that Scorpius was having to face another phase of depression again, but he knew that his friend was so much stronger this time. The only problem was that Scorpius wasn't letting anyone in to help him. He'd become transfixed by the idea that he had to do everything alone—he had to solve all problems himself. And what was worse was that he hadn't spoken to Albus since he got upset by the fact that his friend hadn't warned him of the news in advance. The guilt and sadness deepened every time the dark-haired boy peeked through Scorpius's bedcurtains and saw him curled up on his side, a tear-soaked pillow beneath his head. Several days went by in which Scorpius went without saying a word—they'd never gone more than a few hours without talking. It hurt to see him so destroyed. But the little boy still ate, even if Rose just brought him a plate and slipped it under the dormitory door. He was _trying_ to hold it together.

Scorpius finally was able to pull himself out of bed to go have a shower alone—although of course he didn't tell anyone his plan. Albus saw him slip out of the fourposter, pull a robe around his bony frame, and soundlessly leave the boys' living quarters. It took a moment of deliberation, but Albus decided to follow him and make amends somehow. Maybe Scorpius would feel a little better after getting nice and clean and would be willing to look at the situation with a clearer head. Albus was only trying to protect him…

On his pursuit of the tiny boy quietly moving towards the washroom, Albus felt a hand lay on his shoulder. He whipped around—praying it wasn't anyone that would ask him what he was doing or try to find out what was going on. Thankfully, it was Kie. She took a deep breath. "How is he?" she whispered. Albus sighed in response. "He's still not talking to me. Not talking to anyone. He only made it to one class today, and then he just laid in bed and fell asleep. I don't know what to do….so I'm going to let him shower and then grab him on the way out to talk to him and explain what I was trying to do." Albus answered.

"He'll let you in,"

"He's not letting anyone in. Has he talked to you recently?"

"A little after my Herbology class today. But he doesn't say much—just mainly talked about me and how I was doing. He wouldn't answer a lot of my questions. I was hoping that maybe I'd catch him heading to the showers and go make him feel better in there."

"How exactly are you going to do that?"

"…I'm a girl, Albus. I'm sure you can figure out the rest."

"…Er…do you think he'll want to? You know, being so depressed and all? Maybe he'll have no passion or desire."

"My goal is to make him feel wanted in every possible way—emotionally, mentally….er…._physically_…you know what I mean. I even brought Prickers along in my pocket because Scorpius likes to pet him whenever he's a little upset."

"Boy, you're bringing out all the bells and whistles, aren't you?"

"Oh come on, Albus."

Kie playfully nudged him, trying to smile despite the pain she felt for her boyfriend. "I'll wait out here," he told her. "And when you two are….er…_finished_, I guess…I'll meet him in the commonroom. I've got to talk to him though. Tell him that for me." Kie nodded. She glanced around to make sure no one was looking, then slipped past Albus towards the washroom. He watched her go, turning back to head up to Gryffindor Tower. He prayed his friend would agree to meet him. He prayed to have a chance to explain himself….

Kie stopped abruptly in her path when she saw Chrysanthemum Creevey heading on a path which seemingly would get her to Gryffindor Tower. The girl saw her too. They stared at each other for a moment, waiting for, daring the other to speak first. Chrysanthemum drew a breath. "Do you think you could pass a message along to Scorpius for me?" she boldly asked. The younger girl didn't say a word. "Tell him that I heard about the family accident. Express my sympathy for him. I know this is a very hard time for him, especially with his…well, you know."

"I'm not about to give him false sympathy from someone." Kie bit.

"What do you mean, 'false sympathy'?"

"He needed you. He was at his weakest, lowest point and you just left him there because you were thinking of only yourself. All he craved was love. For someone to tell him that they noticed his efforts in getting better. But you focused on your desire for…I don't know, pleasure? Anyway, it was selfish of you to think that breaking up with him would solve the problems; it may have been a quick fix for you, but it almost literally destroyed him."

"…He has you now. Why would he still be hanging on to the thought of me?"

"He's not hanging on to any part of you. All I'm saying is that he doesn't need a thing from you—not your sympathy, not your words, not even your acknowledgement. You were wrong, Creevey, and he's not the only one that knows it."

"…You're jealous of me because I had him first."

"I thought Slytherins were supposed to be smart. Apparently you're not following any of this."

"You take that back. And you know what? Don't tell him I even said anything. Neither of you are worth my time. Between him not being able to pick himself up, and you being such a know-it-all, you're perfect for each other. Why should I even bother?"

"Oh, go snog your boyfriend in public, Creevey. Everyone knows how disgusting you are. They don't have to know about Scorpius's eating disorder or depression to understand that you left him for a reason that he couldn't even control. And that's enough to turn them against you."

"I know he's not the only one hiding his little insecurities. Am I right? Or did you not _hear_ me?"

"Leave me out of this. I'm standing up for Scorpius, as I would do whether he was an acquaintance or my husband."

"I see my reasoning is falling on _deaf ears_…or just _one_, I suppose. I'm happy with a man that can remain strong and constant; you just run along now and make sure he's not trying to drown himself in the bathtub, or hang himself from the shower—"

"You haven't even a _shred _of a heart in there to empathize with anyone! About anything!" Kie shouted. She was incredibly seething. "You portrayed the 'perfect girlfriend' for a while—but then you got impatient! You left him, only thinking about yourself and your needs! You didn't even _think_ about what that would do for him!"

"I waited three years for him to grow up and leave his past behind him! He could never do that! _Never!_" Chrysanthemum raised her voice as well.

"It doesn't work that way! If you have a disorder or a debilitation, you never escape from it! You never leave it behind you! It_ ruins_ you until you _can't take it anymore_ and your ear screams with pain or your stomach lurches itself to throw up anything you've consumed 'in the past'! …You have no depth to this topic! Maybe if you stayed with him you would've, but it's too late! He's mine now! And I hate to be a little pre-teen when I say this, but you can't have him because _you don't deserve him!_"

A long pause ensued, in which both girls stared at each other while breathing heavily. Kie's left ear hurt tremendously after hearing Chrysanthemum's loud voice and hearing her own carry across the space at such a volume. Chrysanthemum held her tongue for almost a minute. "Well then you must be strongest couple put together in the entire world, with everything you two have got wrong with you." she whispered, swiftly turning to walk in the opposite direction. Kie stared after her, mind whirring at the fact that Chrysanthemum was so heartless towards any person, boyfriend or not, that she couldn't understand. "You know, he's a lot stronger than you even can fathom." she called after the Slytherin girl. Chrysanthemum paused her steps, but she didn't look back. "He really tried to show you that he was doing better, that he was trying. And you pushed him away. …You didn't just ignore his pleas for recognition, you downright insulted his abilities. He can heal. He's human. He needs time." Kie explained. Chrysanthemum was still for a long time. In a barely audible whisper, she replied, "He needed the time that I just don't have." She continued walking without another word. Kie's blood boiled—nobody was ever that replaceable. Yet the girl felt she was justified in not being patient with Scorpius. She saw nothing wrong with it. As the pain in her ear intensified, Kie ran the rest of the way towards the washroom, trying to hide her teary eyes behind the rushing wind as she flew down the hallway.

Every time the commonroom door swung open, Albus hopefully glanced up to see if it was Scorpius. But it took quite a long time for just about every other Gryffindor to come marching through—still no sign of a tiny blonde boy. Finally, just after everyone began getting dressed for dinner, the door opened just a crack and a slim body slipped through it silently. The face of this boy didn't look happy, or better, or even satisfied. It just read guilt and anguish—something Albus could relate to. He stood up from his place on the couch. Thankfully, they were the only two in the area for a while everyone was getting changed. "Scorpius…" Albus whispered, his lips, throat, and tongue suddenly uncomfortably dry. "Can I…talk to you?"

"P-Please…" the small boy replied.

"I-I…I just wanted to tell you again that I'm sorry. Not just about your loss, but about not telling you when I found out. You've got to understand that I was only trying to keep you happy for as long as possible—and I want to do everything in my power to make sure you're ok. When I read that letter…my heart was absolutely breaking for you. …It was a stupid move to try and play a brave face. I know it only hurt you in the end."

"Albus…I'm not mad at you. It's ok….you don't have to apologize."

"Things are different between us. We used to be so close; the past couple of days I've barely seen you at all."

"I'm trying to cope with this myself. I don't want to always be relying on others for my happiness and for support. I've got to learn how to make myself pleased…how to make myself feel my worth."

"You've even been talking to Kie less…."

"I know. And she knows that. But today we had a nice talk and I explained why. She understands that I've got to do this myself. She gets it."

"It's not that I don't get it, Scorpius, it's that I want you to see that you're not alone. That you never will be. Because you've got an army of friends behind you that would _never_ mind picking you up when you're low. That's what we're here for."

"I really truly appreciate that. But what I mean is that I need to look inside myself to see what good I have, instead of just automatically assuming everything's my fault, or that I could've s-sa…saved them. I've got to trick my brain. And that's all me. Your love and support honestly helps, but I've been avoiding everyone to just get a grip on myself."

"I'm so sorry for not telling you…."

"Don't be. I understand it."

"…I just really love you."

The boys embraced, holding on for a long time. "I love you too. And Rose, James, Hugo, and Lily. And Kie of course too. You're all so special to me." Scorpius whispered. They held on for a long time, both just so glad to be talking again; to be close again. Albus dried his eyes on his sleeve after pulling away. "Are you coming to dinner tonight? Michael's been missing you." he asked. Scorpius shrugged, looking uneasy. "I don't know if I'm ready to yet. It's just jumping back into socialization and answering questions from everyone that scares me a little. Maybe tomorrow evening I'll feel better." he answered. "Plus, I think if I had to see Kie across the Hall now, I'd be blushing like mad!" Both boys laughed at this, hugging once more. "I'll smuggle you a plate," Albus promised. Rose met them outside in the commonroom to head down to dinner. She was gentle around Scorpius, tenderly stroking his arm or patting his shoulder if she spoke directly to him or anything. She just hated seeing him so upset. Scorpius waved goodbye to head back up to his bed and write in his journal—just as Miss Hannah had instructed him to do. They went down to dinner, and Scorpius sat in his fourposter feeling a bit lighter than he had that previous afternoon; he was beginning to believe his affirmations.

And nobody was around to blame or make him feel bad, like they were to each other at home with Mrs. Greengrass and his mother Astoria.

Since Astoria and Draco were named the godparents of little Constantine, they got to keep her at home with them. Draco had thought it would work well, considering it would give Astoria something to do all day, but he quickly found out that it was hurting her. The baby resembled Daphne so much. So sometimes Mrs. Greengrass would come over to help with the babysitting—and things would get bad fast. She played guilt games with Astoria to make someone suffer the same sadness she was feeling; she even went as far as to threaten to have Constantine put with Bazel. She never meant to hurt her daughter that much—it was mainly just a way of trying to express her grief; making others feel the same of worse, so that way she wouldn't feel like the only one that was taking it so hard. Scorpius hated the funeral. He hated the wake. He hated the relatives coming over to express their condolences. Because trouble would stir up, and it made him hurt for those affected.


	36. Year 7: Mid-December

**_(re-posted for LOTS of corrections...sorry about that)_ You're about to get some questions answered in the chapter...but forgive me for the awkwardness! You'll understand later in the chapter. I think. But anyway, thank you for the reviews and support, and I can't wait to get the next chapter up for you guys! :)**

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_Dearest Scorpius,_

_I know we've talked about your attendance at the funeral. I know you didn't want to leave school to go to it, but I'm happy that you did. This is a very hard time. I understand your aversion to the common sadness—I can tell you're trying to keep your walls up. Good for you. But something's happening at home that I need you for._

_Your mother and I have been taking good care of Constantine since the deaths of her parents. But your mother is beginning to slip into her early forms of the Curse again, and she's getting sicker by the day. Nothing I'm doing seems to be working; I'm questioning if Constantine's presence in the manor is making things worse. Please, Scorpius. I know why you want to stay in school this holiday season, but I'm begging you to come home to us. I'll make this a happy place for you and your mother—I'm going to do everything I can. I promise. I just need you here to help me heal her. Please. Nana is only making things harder on her. She needs you. Please, Scorpius._

_~Love,_

_Father_

Scorpius sighed as he reread his letter on the Hogwarts Express, pulling his red scarf closer to his skinny neck. It was true—he had intended to stay at Hogwarts throughout the Christmas holiday. He wasn't angry at his parents. He wasn't distancing himself. He was just mainly trying to avoid the bone-crushing guilt pool that was enveloping his house. What Draco had written about Mrs. Greengrass was correct; she sent Howlers and letters and even used surprise visitations to try to release her anguish on Astoria—blaming her for the death of her other daughter. Scorpius wanted no part in that. He didn't want to see it, he didn't want to hear it, he didn't want to sit at that awkward dinner table and be present for it. So staying at school over the Christmas season seemed like a pretty good idea. But the moment he heard his mother was getting sicker…he just knew he had to return. So within days he got himself a ticket for the Hogwarts Express to take him home. And homeward-bound he was.

As the train pulled into King's Cross Station, Scorpius silently stood up and collected his bag from the upper shelf. Albus patted his back, wrapping his arms around the boy's middle. "If you ever need anything….please just let me know. You're always welcome with us." he murmured. Scorpius smiled at his friend, thanking him quietly. Rose squeezed his fingers. "Good luck, Scorpius." she reminded kindly. Once the pair had bounced off the train (rather rowdily), Scorpius turned to look at Kie. She smiled that beautifully perfect smile. "You know what I'm going to tell you," she murmured. Scorpius sat down once more across from her so that he could take her hands into his and lean close. He felt a tiny grin tugging at his lips. "I think I do," he whispered.

"Don't ever get alarmed by anything. Remain calm, think about everyone that loves you. Tell yourself it's going to be alright. And if none of that is working, then start conjuring a patronus—that forces you to think happy things."

"This is why I'm in love with you."

"I'm in love with every part of you. Remember that."

"I always will. You're the best girlfriend anyone could ever ask for."

The two shared a kiss, only breaking apart when they heard people beginning to move off the train. They bid goodbye. When Scorpius stepped off, he immediately noticed that only his father was there to greet him. And Constantine. He walked up, immediately being gathered into a strong embrace with a tiny girl wrapping her arms around his leg in accordance with his father's hug. "We've missed you," Draco brokenly whispered into his ear. Tears jumped into Scorpius's eyes so quickly that he actually had to squeeze them shut so that nothing spilled out. "I missed you too…" he murmured back. He didn't want his father to ever let go of that hug; it just felt so warm and loving. But the moment Constantine started getting a little antsy, it had to end. Draco picked up Scorpius's trunk for him (which believe it or not was still a little heavy for his slim frame) and carried it out of the station, occasionally glancing at his son to make sure he was alright. Constantine babbled on something about learning her alphabet. But Scorpius kept his eyes to the ground—he was too worried about the state his mother would be in when he walked through the door.

Astoria was lying in bed sleeping when they finally arrived home. Constantine ran off to go play with her dolls, allowing for Scorpius and Draco to go into the master bedroom together to comfort the sickly young woman. They sat on either side of her bed. "Love," Draco whispered, tenderly stroking her shoulder to wake her. "You have a special visitor today," Astoria appeared to be extremely weak—so weak, that she couldn't turn over or sit against the pillows without Draco's support. She gasped air into swollen lungs when she saw her son's face. "S-Scor…S-Scorpius…" she whispered. The small boy took her hand. "It's me, Mummy." The tears burned again. "Scorpius is here. It's going to be alright." He vaguely remembered her telling him that over and over whenever he hurt himself by accident, or whenever he cried as a child, or more recently when he was having a panic attack or nervous breakdown. It was some sort of magic that always made him feel comforted. Would it work for her too? Astoria's eyes filled with tears, her voice unable to make itself heard in her mouth. Draco gently stroked her cheek with his fingers. "It's going to be alright, Mummy." Scorpius whispered again.

"Y-You…came back…" she breathed.

"Of course I did, Mummy. I always will. I could never just leave my favorite woman forever."

"…Y-You…wanted…t-to stay there…"

"I wanted to stay away from…well, Nana. Father wrote to me about how hurtful she was being to you, and I didn't want to be in that position. It was cowardly of me, Mother. I'm sorry."

"…I-I…I-I'm so s-s-sorry I did this…."

"No—no, don't be sorry. What did you do? You haven't done a thing wrong."

"…I-I….she d-died _mad_ at me…."

"No she didn't. If she was really that upset with you, she would've changed her will around so that Constantine would go to Uncle Bazel or someone if anything ever happened to them. You know she would've. Nana changes her will all the time—it can be done in two seconds with a wave of a wand. Aunt Daphne had time to do that. And she never did. She was only upset because Nana was upset—you know that."

"…T-This…is…w-why…I-I…love you."

The words stung Scorpius—not even just a few hours ago he'd said the same thing to Kie. Tears slipped down his cheeks as he kissed his mother's fingers. "You're my whole world, Mummy." he whispered softly. "Stay here for me." The three stayed together for a long time in that room, barely speaking, but enjoying each other's company. Astoria was able to speak just slightly better—barely noticeable though. Draco was overjoyed at this. Finally, she was making the improvement he had been praying for. It was quite some time before Astoria was completely exhausted and fell asleep again. Draco took Scorpius out to the large sitting room in the Malfoy Manor to have some tea and bonding time with his son. Above all things, he wanted his family to be happy together. He was the only thing still holding things up—sometime in the past years, he and Astoria had switched roles, apparently.

Scorpius sat beside his father, brushing tears off his cheeks quickly to avoid that overpowering feeling of guilt mixed with despair. Draco offered a weak smile. "Erm…I really like the Christmas decorations, Father." Scorpius started, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Thank you. Grandfather showed me how to do it with magic, and…well, let's just say Grandmother gave me her interior designing inspiration as to how to put them places." Draco chuckled.

"And thank you for letting me come home even after I was so stubborn."

"You weren't being stubborn. You were protecting yourself—and that's understandable. I would've been fine if you wanted to stay at school this season, had your mother not fallen so ill. You were trying to do the right thing."

"It's hard, Father."

"I know. Believe me. But you've got good friends that extend help to you whenever you need it, and that's extraordinarily important. How is Kie doing lately?"

"She's great. She always knows the right thing to say to me, and she gives amazing advice. Kie's really helped me through a lot."

"Forgive me for being so blunt, but…are you two rather…er…physical?"

"Excuse me?"

"I'm only trying to make sure you're safe. And not at risk of…well…er…_becoming a father_ too soon…."

"No! We've never gone…_that_ far!" Scorpius suddenly found himself reddening, but Draco was just as red, so he found the situation as a whole rather humorous.

"Oh…alright….er…I'm only making sure. I-I don't mean to infringe upon your…er…privacy, but…I just want you safe."

"I-I understand. We've come…er…close…but around that time, this rumor started that Yardley Vane was pregnant and it scared both of us into waiting a little bit longer….turns out she really wasn't, but we just didn't want to be…er…_questioned _next…."

"…So…you're still…a…"

"Waiting for my wedding day, yes." Scorpius finished, staring awkwardly down into his tea. What had spurred _this_ conversation?!

"G-Good for you, son. Good for you."

"Father….er…why do you ask?"

"Harry and I have become better friends recently and…well…some of the things he tells me about Albus…I just got a little worried that maybe…you were learning _things_ too…"

"Albus and I are completely different!"

"I don't know how Gryffindors work! I just know they're brave, and fearless, and do things without thinking about the consequences so I was just scared for you even though I fully trust your judgment, I don't know!"

Draco was beet-red now, looking everywhere but at his son. A few seconds of the awkwardest silence in recorded history passed. Scorpius stirred his tea for no reason; Draco took to ridding his spoon of an invisible spot with his napkin. Suddenly, Scorpius giggled. Why was he giggling? This was so weird and awkward and honestly gross, but why was it so funny?! Draco lost at the war against a smile on his lips. He glanced up at his son, immediately beginning to join in the laughter. What had he done? He intended for this to be a serious, Slytherin-based conversation about thinking through actions and being prepared but it had turned into such a disrupted chain of strange sentences…had he done it wrong? Scorpius covered his face with his hands to try to suppress a loud laugh that rose up from deep within him. But it escaped, and eventually Draco joined in too. The pair simultaneously hugged each other over the arms of the chairs. "Oh, Father. I've missed you." Scorpius admitted through his giggles. Draco grinned even wider. "I've missed you too, my baby. It's hard to think about you growing up far away from me. I just want to make sure I did a good job parenting you."

"Of course you've done a great job. You've stood behind me constantly."

"Yeah, but now I've just gone and embarrassed you."

"You didn't. If anything, I embarrassed you."

"How?"

"First of all, knowing that your only son—your heir—has a mental disorder and an eating disorder….that's pretty shameful. You did everything you could and still I wasn't able to fix myself. And then…my choice of friends embarrassed you, according to all these Albus stories."

"Goodness, no! You should've seen Potter's face when he was telling me all this. He was redder than I was, if that's even possible! He's the one that's embarrassed, not me. And your disorders…Scorpius, I knew all along that you'd get better. You didn't need to be 'fixed'. I can see that you're making so much progress already—and I'm so happy about that."

"Thank you, Father. And er…thanks for your concern about…me…"

"It's only my job. …So…never?"

"Never."

"Ok. That's all I need to be sure of. Er—I mean…it's your choice, I er…I just want to make sure you know I want you to be safe…."

"Father, don't worry. She and I talked about it."

"Alright…alright. Thank you….for keeping my trust…"

"Thank you for being concerned."

Within two seconds, they both burst into roaring laughter yet again. Suddenly they just felt so much closer—lighter than they had felt since the Nott family deaths. Maybe they needed laughter at something to sort of fix things up. By the time they stopped their giggling, the tea was cold and footsteps were entering the room lightly. Thinking it was Constantine or Kirry, Draco turned around with the humor still etched across his face to tell whoever it was that they were only laughing at themselves. But time froze when he saw it was Astoria. She held onto the doorframe for support, but she was standing. Walking. And a barely-visible smile played on her lips. "Astoria?" Draco asked, bolting to carry her to a seat. "What are you doing? Do you feel alright? Did you need me?" he frantically inquired. He smoothed her dress out after setting her gently on the sofa adjacent to the one he was sharing with Scorpius. She nodded. "I-I just suddenly felt a lot better….I couldn't figure out why, but then I heard the two of you laughing. The more I focused on that sound…the easier it became to push the covers off of myself. The stronger my bones felt when I put my feet on the floor. The steadier I was when I tried walking. I just…I don't know, it was something about hearing your happiness that allowed me to move forward." she explained, smiling lightly at her family. Scorpius grinned—if only she knew what had inspired such laughter. But Draco was hugging her, telling her how proud he was, thanking his lucky stars that she was alright. Kirry instantly ran up with a cup of tea for Astoria, bowing to her mistress and rejoicing in this recovery as well.

Draco hugged Scorpius once again. "Thank you for bringing laughter back into my life." he murmured to his small son. "It's been so long since I felt like that—laughed until my stomach hurt. I've been so upset and scared and worried that everything was going to break….I forgot how to just let loose. Thank you." Scorpius hugged him back. "Thank you for caring so much about me and your entirely family." he managed to whisper before tears of happiness slid down his cheeks. And even though Draco had to magically set a Howler from Mrs. Greengrass on fire in the back lawn, it wasn't so bad of a start to the holidays that everyone had been fearfully dreading. Because they found the happiness that would keep away the guilt.


	37. Year 7: Christmas Day

**I don't know about this chapter...it may be just a filler, it may be more later. I don't know. Let me know what you think...**

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Christmas came, and overall it was a pretty happy time. Scorpius, Constantine, Astoria, and Draco invited Narcissa and Lucius over for the holiday. They celebrated a nice family gathering, just the Malfoys. Scorpius loved watching Constantine on Christmas morning—she was young enough to believe that everything was absolute magic; and Lucius didn't mind enhacing that by casting silently discrete spells to add to the wonderment. Draco nodded proudly to his son at the dinnertable when Scorpius was able to finish his whole portion. However he did feel rather sick afterwards, and took some quiet time to lie down on the couch under Narcissa's motherly eye.

Around six o'clock, when things were just beginning to wind down a bit, Constantine looked up from her new dollhouse abruptly. "Pop, pop, pop!" she called out absently. Draco raised his eyes from his new potions book. Astoria's smile faded as she pointed out a feature of Lucius and Narcissa's Christmas gift from her. Scorpius turned to his parents. "What's the matter?" he asked softly. Astoria paled and glanced at the floor. "Er…she only s-says that when someone Apparates nearby…." It seemed as if everything was moving in slow-motion. How could this be? No one could be visiting them on Christmas day…they all had their own families to spend it with. Within seconds, a knock sounded at the doors of the Malfoy Manor. No one moved. After that moment's hesitation, Lucius rose from his place on the sofa, gently squeezing his wife's hand and Astoria's shoulder. He pulled the large doors open; Draco moved to sit beside Scorpius on the couch and rub his back gently. "Something I can do for you?" Lucius asked the person outside.

"You can give us our granddaughter."

Astoria gasped. Narcissa clutched her shoulders in attempt to calm her down. Scorpius sat bolt upright. Lucius remained calm, however, and simply remained rooted to the spot in front of the opening. "If I'm correct, the Ministry deals with these sorts of cases. And unless you have an order from them, there's simply nothing that can be done." he coolly replied.

"I need orders from no one. And I'll make things get done. Give me Constantine; I don't want my _incapable_ daughter raising a child weak."

"Mrs. Greengrass, out of respect for the holidays—"

"Shut up, you Death Eater snake. Get me my granddaughter or I'm going in myself to do it. I'm not afraid."

Lucius stood up straighter, now clearly cross. "Idyllis, you must lower your voice and speak properly in my house."

"This is Astoria's house now. And your snake hatchling's. As a pureblood, you should know that you have no authority—you are a guest."

Narcissa rose from the sofa slowly, taking her husband's side at the door. "You too!" Mrs. Greengrass shouted now. "You have no power here either! Go get me my granddaughter!"

"As powerless as you see us, Idyllis, I must remind you that under pureblood custom you don't have the right to order as well." Narcissa coldly reminded.

"This is family! I'm trying to get my granddaughter because she is my blood!"

"You have a grandson that is blood. As well as a daughter. Why aren't you concerned about them?"

"Because they're both connected to an impure surname! And I don't want my little baby granddaughter to grow up in such terrible conditions!"

"Yes, this is such a dilapadated structure." Lucius sarcastically snapped.

"If you're all so confident that everything is going great, then why isn't my daughter coming out to affirm that for me?!"

"Please just stop!" Scorpius shouted, having broken free from his father's arms. "Stop doing this to my family!"

"Don't you talk to your elders that way, boy! See what they've done to you?! They've made you as ignorant as they are!"

"Every time you do this my mother gets sick! And honestly…I didn't want to come _home_ this season because of you! I wanted to stay at school to get away from all this! But my mother…you hurt her so bad that I had to come back to take care of her!"

"Your mother is selfish! Don't you see what this family does?! They make people become completely self-centered, just as they were and always have been!"

"Grandmother and Grandfather were selfless during the war! They kept sacrificing themselves for each other—they wanted to keep their family safe!"

"You don't even know what you're talking about! They've brainwashed you into becoming a perfect Malfoy, which you can plainly see just by looking at you! I won't have my granddaughter become like that—look like _you!_"

Scorpius froze. Astoria was rocking a crying Constantine, quietly crying and trying to remain as calm as she could with all the blame directed at her and her loved ones. "…What did you mean…" Scorpius practically whispered. "When you said 'look like me'…?" Mrs. Greengrass was breathing hard—apparently she didn't realize what she'd said aloud. It certainly caught up to her. "I-I…I just meant…the Malfoy characteristics—"

"You were talking about my weight."

"…I-I…you're making things up!"

"The past few times I've seen you all you've been doing is dropping little comments about my build, telling other people that the Malfoys are 'hiding a secret', hinting that that secret is me."

"…It's…I…they're trying…."

"I heard you at the funeral—telling the Nott family that I wasn't allowed to eat anyhting so I'd look like 'Daddy's perfect little boy', so I 'wouldn't get fat'! You don't know what I've been through. And to blame my personal problems on my family…you must not be right in your head."

"I will no longer let any of my blood relatives become tainted by them!"

"And I'm not going to be stabbed in the back by my extended family members, nor will I let my close family be tortured with your meaningless words!"

Scorpius squeezed his eyes closed, focusing hard on happy things…Kie…his parents…Albus…Scruffy…Narcissa…Lucius… A swirling white dolphin burst from his wand tip, and in the next second, he Disapparated away from the Malfoy Manor. Astoria let out a desperate shriek, reaching out futiley as if trying to stop him from leaving. But Draco immediately dove to hear the patronus's message. "I'm safe, with a friend. Give Constantine to them. I'll be back within a day. I'll write immediately." the voice of Scorpius Malfoy said softly through the patronus. Astoria was in hysterical tears. Draco straightened. "Take her." he growled at Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass. "Take Constantine and raise her the way you believe is better. But you can have her under one condition; you walk away with that baby…and you never come into contact with any of us again. That means me, Astoria, Narcissa, Lucius, or Scorpius. Understand? You take Constantine right now, and you're done."

"Don't you force me to cut ties with an ultamatum!" Mrs. Greengrass tried to shout, but her voice wobbled a bit unexplainably.

"You're not being forced. You have a choice. Now what is it going to be?"

Mrs. Greengrass stared for a moment, as did Lucius and Narcissa, not making a single sound. Then suddenly, she turned and ran off the doorstep, Mr. Greengrass fumbling obediently behind her. Without Constantine. She didn't want to truly break ties with her daughter. She wasn't as angry as her mask betrayed. Lucius shut the doors slowly, gazing with wide eyes at the floor. Draco hurried to Astoria. "It's alright," he whispered to her frantic state. "He's safe. He's gone to a friend's house, and he said he'll write immediately. He made up that plan—he was the one that said it." Astoria clung desperately to his arms, confused and scared and sad… "W-Where did he go?...Oh…oh no…oh no…what if he went to Kie's house? You know what's going to happen there if he's sad and she's lonely—" she cried out. Draco smiled a bit as he hushed her, despite the tangled emotions webbing around the room by the minute. "No…darling, it's alright. He…we talked about it. He's…waiting." he hastily explained. Her eyes went wide as they were still tearful from before. "H-He said that?" she asked in disbelief. Draco nodded. A loud pecking/banging sound rang through one of the distant hallways at the window. Narcissa ran off to the source; she returned with an owl on her shoulder and a letter in her hands.

Scorpius covered his face in his hands as he sat on the bed, wearing only his shirt and undershorts. Albus climbed on beside him. He moved close to wrap his friend in his arms as a source of comfort. "How you feeling?" he murmured softly. Scorpius sighed. "I just sent my letter off. I hope they aren't mad at me—I-I just had to get away from that before I exploded on her…."

"They won't be upset. They know you're in a safe place. You did everything you could to protect them and they'll understand that."

"But I…I was disrespectful…."

"You were rightfully upset. Come on—let's get to bed. Dad said you can sleep in my room tonight, and Mum wanted me to remind you that tomorrow morning's a big breakfast. Better get to sleep so the pancakes come faster!"

Scorpius tried to smile, moving over so that Albus could pull back the blankets and cover the two of them. "This isn't weird for you at all, right?" the brunette asked as he settled back under the warm sheets. "No, not at all." Scorpius answered. He smiled when he felt his friend's arm wrap around him against the chilly air. He regretted not being with his family that night, but he knew his plan was bold, brave, and precise. If his father had followed the patronus's instructions, then everything would be ok one way or another; either Nana would leave them alone forever and stop her hurtful slandering, or it would become clear that the familial bond that Astoria once had was not entirely broken. Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, an owl beat frantically against his window. He reached over to let it inside, withdrawling the letter from it's foot.

Dearest Scorpius,

You are a genius. We are incredibly proud of your quick-thinking. Just remember that we understand, and if you'd like to come home before tomorrow, let us know in advance because Mother wants to cook you your favorite dinner.

Love forver,

Father

P.S. Wonderful patronus and Disapparation. Brilliant in the mind and with the wand.


	38. Year 7: Early February

**Hopefully this is a happy one :) hey, I was wondering if I could get your opinion on something! I've been toying with the idea of writing a prequel to "Redeem, Restore" - one that includes the time from when Voldemort is defeated in the castle to when Draco meets Astoria. Do you think you'd like to read that? Just want to know ahead of time so I don't ever have to discontinue. But don't worry! This story isn't over yet! I'll have the next chapter posted soon, and it's a long way until Scorpius's graduation. So don't be afraid! We still have a long way to go. Appreciate your feedback :)**

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A soft, sleeting rain drummed on the glass windows of the Gryffindor boys' dormitory one early February morning. Scorpius was bundled under his extra covers—something he always required since he had an internal chill that he just couldn't ever really shake. Rose said it was due to his low birth weight as a baby or something like that. He pulled a fuzzy blanket closer to him, moving the quilt up as well. Mornings were beautiful for him. He loved waking and seeing a new day, having the sunlight stream through and cast a warmth through the darkness in a triumphant glimmer. He smiled to himself as he slowly opened his eyes. Today was the beginning of one of his favorite days, but today was the biggest—he and Kie were celebrating their one-year anniversary. He was so excited to give her the gift he'd picked out—he didn't even mind waking early. Ah, he was awake just in time to see the sunrise. It was beautiful. Started his day off with a warm smile. Mornings meant he saw another day. Mornings meant moving on from the past.

However, Albus Potter was not a morning person.

As Scorpius curled up under his blankets and peacefully looked out the slit in his bedcurtains at the window, a loud groan was heard coming from the next bed over. "Why does the day take so long and the night last so _shooooooorrrrrrrtttt_…." Albus crankily grumbled. "I don't know…you seem to make my nights…even _longer_…" an unfamiliar female voice murmured seductively. Scorpius had been about to call an answer to his friend, but the moment he heard that, he shut his mouth and his eyes became as big as saucers. Albus had…a _girl_ in there?! His silencing charm must've worn off! Scorpius blushed five shades of red; he even took it upon himself to turn over in attempt to not even be looking at that bed. What was Albus thinking?! Oh…girls were more 'trustworthy'…they could get into the boys' dormitory, but boys couldn't get into the girls'. Didn't they have the Room of Requirement for that stuff? "Mmmm…I guess that's a good thing…" Albus murmured. Scorpius could practically hear that seductive smirk on his face as he said it.

"But who said a girl can't have fun in the day too?" the stranger asked.

"No I, that's for sure. My needs are 'round the clock…"

Scorpius definitely heard the sound of kissing (or whatever they were doing), so he slipped out of bed to get dressed and head to breakfast. Just before he pulled his sweater over his head, the sound of soft sighing and groaning emitted from the red bedcurtains. A line of Gryffindor boys who were also getting dressed giggling quietly and tried to restrain their laughter. Scorpius shook the bedcurtains a bit. "Silencing Charm wore off, mate." he informed the people inside. Albus swore loudly, hands flying out to the nightstand to grasp his wand. The boys all erupted in enormous laughter. As much as Scorpius blushed, he too found it funny that Albus, who proclaimed himself to be the 'phantom of love' since he never really let on who he was pursuing, had just accidentally publicized his doings. Literally.

At breakfast, Scorpius waved to Kie across the Great Hall. She happily waved back, enjoying a nice quiet breakfast thanks to Draco sending her more of the cotton balls he'd charmed with a muffling spell to put in her sensitive ears at meals. Scorpius sat down. Rose smiled shyly. "She loves you…" she murmured. Scorpius chuckled a bit. "I know. We've been together for almost a year now…I can't believe it went so fast." he replied with a happy smile.

"She protects you too, you know."

"She's my strength,"

"I mean as in seriously protects you in ways you don't know."

"…W-What are you talking about?"

"Lean in closer….right, I didn't want to say anything to you about this immediately because I knew you were under a lot of grief, but a few months ago I heard that Kie cornered Chrysanthemum because she was going to try to console you. Kie really gave it to her, telling her to stay away from you and act like a normal human being, not trying to make you jealous all the time. They argued, but Kie said that you were hers and she'd always fight for you whether you were together or not."

"S-She…said that?"

"Trust me. I heard it from Lily and the twins—they took the Invisibility Cloak and were running around the castle that day. When they saw Kie going into the boys' bathroom, well…they felt the need to investigate."

Scorpius looked over at the Ravenclaw table now with a different feeling in his heart. He always knew that Kie was very special, from her hearing impairment to the bloody mouse in her pocket, but she had a whole new specialness about her. She was loyal. Undyingly loyal. Suddenly it clicked in his mind—that's why her patronus was a Golden Retriever; it was the most loyal animal. Kie smiled brightly at him, waving and pointing and signing that apparently she'd coaxed Prickers into eating plum right there on the table. "She's a keeper." Rose reminded, stirring her tea with her eyebrows raised. "_I_ have a keeper now also. He's a Hufflepuff. Henry Jusberg. I told him that in the Room of Requirement."

"The Room of—Rose, you go there too?!"

"Come on, Scorpius. All three of us have parents that used it extensively. We all know where it is."

Later that night, Scorpius did end up going to the Room of Requirement with Kie. When he opened the door he found their usual comfortable setup but a new addition—a small cage filled with soft downing for Prickers, who'd gotten a bellyache after eating the whole plum. They settled him in the cage. Feeling nervous but excited, Scorpius reached into his pocket. "Kie," he said, slowly and quietly. "Since today's our one-year anniversary, I wanted to make it really special for you. I…er…I got you a gift that has a lot of meaning. And I'd like to explain it after you see it." Kie looked at him, that glimmer ever-present in her eyes. He pulled out a small box, opening it to reveal a small silver ring that had a brilliant blue gem on the top. Kie gasped. But she didn't ask a million questions—she waited to allow Scorpius to explain just as he said. "It's a ring, clearly. But it's one that says that I want to be with you for a long time. It's like…well…I guess the simplest way to say it is that it's like a pre-engagement ring. It tells everyone that I promise to be there for you no matter what, but we don't have to worry about being formally engaged. I know you still have a year of school after this. But I thought that maybe giving you something that would allow you to…to think of me would help with the distance or the differences. This doesn't freak you out at all, right?"

"Scorpius….this is incredible….This is more than I ever, ever could've hoped for…I promise that I'll wear this ring all the time, to let everyone know that I am nothing but yours. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, Scorpius. It's so beautiful."

Scorpius took her hand and led her to the nice sofa, laying her down and leaning on his elbows overtop of her. They shared a passionate kiss. Then another. And another. Another. Another. They met lips enthusiastically for almost forty-five minutes, and then things carried on even further.

Scorpius tipped his head back. "Kie…I-I'm ready…" he gasped out. She opened her eyes and looked at him, clearly a little confused as to what this meant. "What, darling?" she whispered.

"I-I'm ready….I don't w-want to wait anymore…"

"You're talking about…"

"Yes….I can't wait until…m-marriage…."

"Scorpius…are you sure? I don't mind, but I just…I just want to make sure you don't regret it."

"I could never….not with you….I need you…"

Kie willingly allowed Scorpius to continue with this desire, feeling a little nervous, but not too much—she knew her boy would take good care of her. Scorpius was nearly ready to carry out his plan, when she suddenly realized something was wrong. He was shaking like a leaf. Kie reached out to touch his arm. "Scorpius, are you alright?" she asked quietly. "I-I'm fine." he answered.

"You're nervous…"

"Everyone is their first time, right? Aren't you?"

"I know you're going to take care of me."

"B-But…but what if I do something wrong? What if I…what if it isn't…I…"

"Scorpius, I don't feel like you're actually ready."

"…N-No…I am. I promise. It's just…just cold in here."

"You're shaking. You can't talk right. You haven't made a move yet. You won't look into my eyes. I can just tell that you're worried about things. I just want your first time to be special."

"A-Anything with you is special….I want you to know how much I love you."

Kie sat up, drawing the comfortable throw blanket around them. "Is that what this is about? You want to make sure I know that you love me? Scorpius, I've always told you that you don't need to show me that through physicality. I know that you do. I know you do so much. Giving me this ring is proof enough! Don't ever think you have to prove anything to me." she assured. She kissed him again, this time sweetly and innocently. Scorpius let out a shiver and nodded. "Alright," he whispered hoarsely. "I-I'm sorry…I—"

"Don't apologize for anything. I know what you were trying to say, and I understand. I just want you to know that I never want you to feel pressured to prove anything. I feel like I know you better than I know anyone. Even Prickers."

"…The reason why…well, the reason why I wanted to…er…do that was because Albus had a girl in his bed all last night and this morning, and they finished up last night and started again as soon as they woke up! He just makes it look so easy…like it _should_ be easy…. And also, Rose told me about the time you stood up to Chrysanthemum for me a while ago. You were so loyal to me…you proved how much you loved me to everyone. I wanted to show you how much I love you."

"But doing something you're not comfortable with is something I don't want you to worry about. I know how much you love me. I know how much I love you. I promise that's always going to stay the same."

"…Alright…..thank you….er…can we just cuddle then?"

"Sure we can,"

Scorpius wrapped his arms around her, laying back against the sofa. It was a long time before anybody spoke. Kie admired her deep blue ring, running her fingers over the stone delicately. Scorpius smiled at her love for it. Things were just so comfortable and fitting and _warm_…. "Hey, Scorpius, I almost forgot! I made something for our anniversary. It's certainly not as good as your present, but I…I hope you like it." Kie said. She stood up, wrapped herself in her robe, and went to her bag by the door. She pulled something out. Smiling but blushing with embarrassment she handed him a rectangular present all wrapped up with a red bow on top. "I'm sorry it's not as wonderful as your gift to me." she murmured. Scorpius unwrapped the present.

It was a book, each page filled with a hand-drawn picture of everything they ever did; walks by the lake, climbing the oak trees, practicing patronuses in the Malfoy gardens, dinner at the Manor, watching the meteor shower from the top of the astronomy tower. Everything they'd ever done on a date, Kie had drawn out and compiled into one book. Scorpius never knew it, but she was an extremely talented artist. The pictures looked so real—they might as well have been photographs, except that they weren't moving. Tears jumped to Scorpius's eyes immediately. "Kie…" he whispered. "This is…this is the best gift I've ever received in my life…" She touched his hand. "You don't have to say that. It's not as meaningful as a ring." she replied.

"I mean it! I mean every word! Oh, this is incredible. This is really something else….h-how long?"

"Hm?"

"How long did it take you to make this?"

"….Oh…er…the whole year. Every time we'd spend time together, I'd draw it out afterwards. So…er…that's why…er…the last picture is of Prickers eating the plum at breakfast…with you watching it he background. I…wanted to end it right."

"This…I'm going to save this for the rest of my life. Forever. I'll even take it with me when I'm old and leaving this earth! I'm keeping this for eternity. I'll never let it go. This means so much to me. It means so much. Thank you, Kie. I love you."

"I love you too,"

They kissed again, except it was mixed with Scorpius's tears. He didn't even know why he was crying—it was just so incredibly beautiful. She depicted everything exactly as it was; including times of happiness and hardship. From her visiting him in the hospital wing after saving his life, to their kissing in the rain. She had everything that held their relationship special. "I love you so much," Scorpius whispered, hugging her even closer. "I love you more and more each day," Kie returned, sharing a kiss once more with her. They went through every page, looking, remembering, laughing, sharing. This was the best year of Scorpius's life, and he looked forward to a lot more with his beautiful girl.


	39. Year 7: Early May

**This one's super short and for that I'm sorry. But I was hoping to make another bridge with it. So maybe that means the next one will be a hundred times better... ;)**

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Scorpius flipped another page of his Divination textbook. "Shh." Rose hushed from the seat adjacent to him. He rolled his eyes. The two of them had been at this for hours now, both studying hard for their NEWT exams in the silence of the library. Rose was still a little jealous when it came to test time because she wasn't entirely over the fact that he'd surpassed her in OWLs not too long ago. He knew her past failure motivated her to succeed even farther in the future, but Rose had her mother's blood. She would not give up easy.

Lorcan and Lysander Scamander approached the little library table, eagerly sitting down without a book in sight. All they had on them was their wand tucked behind their ear for safekeeping—something their mother taught them. "Sooo…" one of them began; Scorpius guessed it was Lysander. "Is everyone ready to pass?" Rose let out an overly dramatic huff and stood up from the table. "I need to go to a place where I can study in peace and quiet. Which apparently isn't here because too many people care more about socialization than their impending scores." she snapped, shooting all three boys a look and stomping out of the library. Lorcan watched her, brows creased with a thoughtful look. "And I bet you'll still do better than her." he said to Scorpius. The small blonde shrugged. "I don't know….I'm getting kind of nervous." he replied. The pair looked at him. "What do you mean, mate?' Lorcan asked.

"I don't know…I feel like I learned everything, but…I'm having trouble…well, er, never mind. I guess I'm just afraid that I'll forget everything once I sit down with the test." Scorpius lied. He neglected to tell them that he was making himself sick with worry.

"Right, even though were aren't taking any NEWTS—"

"—We weren't smart enough to get them—"

"We know you're going to do spectacularly on them all—"

"—Better than Rosie!"

"And there's no need—"

"—to worry!"

The twins finished for each other. Scorpius smile weakly. "Thanks, guys." he murmured. Lorcan nudged his brother. "Didn't Lily say we were supposed to meet her and Hugo by the stairs at eleven tonight?" he asked him. Lysander thought for a moment. "Oh right, she did. We were all going to the astronomy tower to see who could levitate themselves to the highest rafter. We'll see you around, Scorpius. Good luck with studying, but don't stress yourself out. If you want, you can come to the astronomy tower later and…_hang_ with us." The twins high fived-each other at the levitation joke, then took off to go do more weird stuff. Scorpius watched them go. He wondered when the last time he tried something reckless and dumb was. Was it ever? He shook his head to clear his thoughts and turned another page of his textbook.

However this page was marked with a scrap of parchment that he didn't remember placing in the fold. Eyes straining through the fatigue, he squinted to see what was written on it.

_If you are reading this note and it's past midnight, please go to sleep! You're going to do amazing, but staying up late isn't good for you. You're such a hard worker. Just make sure you are taking care of yourself. I love you too much to see you locked away behind a stack of books until you can't keep your eyes open anymore. Best of luck although you have the skills instead. _

_Love you,_

_Kie_

Scorpius smiled. Clearly she'd slipped the note into his textbook to remind him to keep himself in check—clearly she'd slipped the note into his textbook to show how much she cared about him even when she wasn't around. He glanced up at the clock; ten past one. Kie was right, he really shouldn't be staying out this late reading. He stood up, packed his books, and drew his robe closer around him. The elderly librarian sighed as he walked past her desk. "Always the last one…" she muttered, although clearly audible. Scorpius bit his lip and hurried a little faster.

Back in the boys' dormitories, Albus wasn't entirely ready for bed; apparently he'd just returned home as well. "What are you doing up?" he asked his friend, sitting on his bed as Scorpius changed into his pajamas. "Studying," the blonde whispered.

"Again? Were you there from after dinner to now?"

"…Yes."

"Scorpius, you're going to overwork yourself! Why try to be the best when it's not going to get you anywhere anytime faster?"

"I want to be good at academics so I can get a job."

"You know you'll get a good job, regardless of how you—"

"I have to do well because my name will make them want to turn me away!"

"Oh yeah…"

"I'm sorry. I know I did all that 'redeeming' stuff and whatever, but one nobility doesn't erase decades of mistrust."

"I understand. Maybe you just need some fun to break up the studying. Try going to the Room of Requirement with her for a night instead of rereading the textbooks. Maybe getting far with her would make you feel a little more confident."

"That's the thing….we tried to go farther a few months ago, but I-I wasn't ready."

"You mean as in…like actually…doing it?"

"Yeah. First we agreed we'd wait until marriage. Then I asked her to go sooner on our anniversary. She was willing to…but I kind of froze up and got too nervous. So we said we'd wait again."

"Why'd you get scared?"

"I just…I don't know, I didn't want it to hurt…."

"Scorpius, it doesn't hurt for guys. You would've been perfectly fine. Take it from me." Albus laughed.

"I-I know, I just…I guess I was feeling a little too self-conscious mixed with fear of breaking the promise I made to my father and wondering if Kie really wanted it or not….I just had to back out."

"Did she take it ok?"

"She was fine. She told me to do whatever I wanted, whatever I was comfortable with. And she told me she'd love me regardless of my decision. I just had to back out. I couldn't decide if I would love it or hate it and how I would feel after, so I figured I'd just avoid those feelings altogether."

"If that works for you. I think we see that sort of stuff in different ways. Not a bad thing, but I'm glad you have your own opinion instead of being influenced by mine."

Scorpius was quiet for a little bit, pulling his pajamas pants on and buttoning up his shirt. Albus watched him, thinking about something. It was several minutes before he said anything. "Weight still alright?" Albus asked. Scorpius felt himself redden, doing everything he could to avoid looking his friend in the face. "Er…y-yeah, I suppose so…." he mumbled. He didn't even hear Albus get off his bed and wrap his arms around him. "Are you sure?" he whispered. Scorpius knew that he couldn't fake it anymore—Albus was hugging him to see how many ribs he could feel, if the shoulder bones were protruding. The blonde closed his eyes. "I threw up today…" he brokenly whispered. Albus lowered his eyes, squeezing him a little tighter. Scorpius was shaking now, tears of restrained emotions threatening to spill. "I-I'm just so stressed…." he finished. Albus turned him around to hold him facing forward. "Shhh…it's alright. Don't be upset about it. It's alright if you're stressed, it's alright if you throw up. Just as long as you're not making yourself do it, then you're going to be ok." he encouraged. Scorpius let out a shiver. Albus pulled his friend over to his bed, laying him down in it and reaching across to the shared nightstand. He sat down on his bed beside Scorpius and handed him Kie's book. "Just relax," he murmured. "You've got people that love you regardless of your score on a test. Think of nothing but what's in _this_ book right now. Study this one."

Albus laid beside Scorpius, who was now turning the pages by wandlight and smiling at what he was seeing. The Potter boy gave him a quick hug, still holding onto his shoulders to show Scorpius that sometimes not all lessons were typed out in a book; sometimes the people in life were the ones that were the teachers. Scorpius's lesson was to learn how to relax—Albus and Kie would separately coach him towards that goal while still letting Rose intimidate him into being better and better each time.


	40. Year 7: Late May

**I'm thinking there's only going to be maybe one or two more chapters to this story. It's very sad to finish it up so soon. But I'll definitely be working hard on the next chapter to really make it great for you! Thanks for always being a loyal reader. Hope you like this one, and the next will be posted in a few days! :)**

* * *

Scorpius paced outside of the Great Hall, not quite wanting to go to breakfast. Today was the day of his NEWT exams. He nervously gripped his wrists—he'd developed a terrifying new habit of feeling lightheaded in times of anxiety. So he took deep breaths, trying to even out his thoughts. A hand on his back brought him right back to being startled and afraid. He whipped around, eyes wide and lungs working like they never had before. Kie. She stood still for a moment, letting him recognize that she wasn't a threat, and then she pulled him into a hug. "It's going to be alright," she whispered. "I'm not going to tell you to stop being so nervous. Honestly, I feel more inclined to panic whenever people say that to me. So I'm just going to wish you luck and tell you that everything is going to be fine."

"I-I…I have to beat R-Rose…." the small blonde whimpered.

"Scorpius, if you think that you have to do well to prove yourself, that's incorrect. Everyone knows how smart you are. And when you graduate from Hogwarts, St. Mungo's is going to snatch you up so fast to make you a Healer. You won't even have to worry about that. And if Rose Weasley does end up beating you, then it's a truce—because you did the best on your OWLs, and she would've done the best on the NEWTs. Even. Alright?"

"Y-You always make me feel better."

"It's a pleasure. Now let's go in and see Albus—I'm sure he'll have something to cheer you up."

And it was true, Albus Potter had mixed up the dates of the NEWT exams (although he was only taking two) and thought they were a week later. So he had absolutely nothing studied. Sitting at the table with his head in his hands, he stared blankly ahead of him in shock. "What am I going to do?" he asked aloud. Hugo raised his eyebrows. "How did you not know?" he asked. "I mean, Scorpius started studying in what, January? And Rose has been riding you about it as well. When did you realize they were today?"

"I got a letter from Dad and Mum this morning wishing me luck…"

"That's when you realized?! Albus, you're seriously a bloody idiot."

"I know….It's just…Rose and Scorpius are always studying…I just thought they were getting ahead for next week….And Lily's OWLs are next week…so…I must've just…."

"I've been telling you!" Rose snapped over her oatmeal. "Why do you think I've been telling you to study?! Because I like wasting my time on trying to get through your thick skull?! You're an absolute mess, Albus Potter! I almost wish I wasn't related to you!"

Rose cracked her book open again and began reading with her nose in the air. Scorpius normally would've smiled and attempted to hide it from his friends, but today he wasn't even aware of the fight of the day. He pushed the eggs around on his plate. It seemed Albus had already given up trying to fret about the exam. He nudged his blonde friend. "Eat," he reminded. Scorpius shook his head ever so slightly. Albus stared. "Scorpius…" he whispered. "What are you doing?"

"I-I'm…"

"Please eat something,"

"S-So n-nervous…."

Albus reached over and pushed the eggs apart, splitting them into a 40/60 proportion. "Eat that much," he said, pointing at the smaller amount. Groaning, Scorpius hesitantly took a bite. He finished slowly; his stomach was too upset with the butterflies to want to digest it all—he hope he wouldn't need to throw up later. Headmistress McGonagal rose from the staff table. "All seventh-years will proceed to their assigned testing rooms at this time," she instructed. Instantly, all the seventh-years got up and left their younger friends at the House tables. As Scorpius shakily pushed himself away from the bench, he felt a small hand slip into his briefly. He looked down. Michael was looking up at him with big blue eyes, a small smile on his face. "You're going to do so great, Scorpius." he assured. "I don't really know what this test is that you have to take, but I'm sure you're going to pass it with the highest score!" The blonde stared down at his first-year friend, giving a weak smile. "Thanks, Michael." he replied. And then, they were all off to one of the larger unused Potions auditoriums to be placed in assigned seating for exams to be distributed. Headmistress McGonagal had her lips pursed and was flitting about nervously; this test was a direct reflection on her school's academic works. Scorpius nervously tapped his fingers on the wood in front of him. He so desperately wanted this test to be over, but at the same time he didn't even want to start. Albus let out an audible groan when his parchment scroll was handed to him, winning an elbow to the ribs by a Hufflepuff boy seated beside him. He was only seated a little bit down from his Malfoy friend, but to Scorpius, it felt like miles away from comfort.

As soon as the test administrator (from the Ministry) flipped the huge hourglass, a pit dropped into Scorpius's stomach. He unrolled the parchment. Question one, he thought to himself. Explain the relevance of moonstones in both Divination practices and Potion-making. Alright, this wasn't so bad. He knew that everyone had different questions based on their name and who had a NEWT exam in what. Sure the questions were all mixed up, but somebody like Albus who got a 'Dreadful' in Potions would not be reading the same question Scorpius just did. Maybe this wouldn't go so badly…

However a few more responses in, Scorpius got too nervous yet again. The selection was multiple choice; his quill shudder in his hand. _I don't know this…_ he thought to himself. _I'm halfway through the exam and I'm going to fail the last few parts. I worked so hard just to quit. I don't kn—_ and then suddenly, the lightheaded nervousness took over. Scorpius flopped facefirst onto his exam scroll, completely unconscious. Albus's head snapped over in his direction. His eyes widened at the discovery of Scorpius completely out; he wanted to reach over and nudge him. Being so far away didn't afford him that opportunity, so he quickly snapped his fingers at the boy a few chairs away. Nothing. Was it because he hadn't eaten much? Was he starving himself again? "Fifteen more minutes," the smaller dwarf supervisor announced to the students. Fifteen more minutes! If Scorpius didn't wake up, he wouldn't finish! And he could never forgive himself for that…

But in a second, Scorpius lifted his head, trying hard to focus his eyes. He picked up his quill and began writing like nothing even happened. Albus stared with a dropped jaw. How…? The moment time was called, the test administrator summoned all parchment and borrowed quills to his desk immediately. It took just a moment of holding to actually be sure that no one was trying to smuggle any tests out. "Exam dismissed!" the man chirped. Scorpius stood up and waited for Albus to gather his things. He cocked his head at the weird look his friend was giving him. "What?" he asked.

"You…you passed out…and then you got up like nothing even happened…!" Albus stammered.

"Oh…I think it happens when I get nervous."

"Why are you so calm about this?! I was literally worrying constantly over there!"

"I didn't mean to worry you, Albus. Getting nervous makes me a little lightheaded, and I guess if I get worse and worse it forces me to pass out."

"Are you hurt?"

"No,"

"Dizzy?"

"No,"

"Sleepy?"

"No,"

"Hungry?"

"Albus…"

"Well…just don't do that when I'm around, I guess. Alright?"

Scorpius smiled at his friend, knowing he only meant it as a joke; he could still hear the concern in his voice though. "You pass?" he asked. Albus laughed, shrugged his shoulders, and gave a wink. "Hopefully a female administrator reads my written responses….maybe I'll be able to charm her into passing me." Scorpius grinned. Albus had no concept of how the grading system worked, he was only focused on his necessity to flirt. Scorpius walked along the corridors alone, reflecting on his answers. They seemed good. At least passing, if not entirely outstanding. He walked along, recalling facts about Goblins and Wizarding Trust Funds and moonstones and calcareous bulzors. And then…all of his worries disappeared. He saw Kie a little down the hallway, pointing a crying first-year in the direction on the infirmary after she'd gotten her hair magically removed by another little girl. Scorpius ran to her, and the moment the first-year was on her way, he twirled her around and kissed her. "Scorpius!" she breathlessly exclaimed. "You seem so…so…"

"My stress is gone now." he explained, smiling. "I have no more exams to take, no more studying, no more worrying. Maybe now that I'm done I can get better inside and out."

"Scorpius…I'm so glad you're finally feeling good…."

"Thank you. It's almost the end of my year—I can't believe it."

"…I'm going to miss you next year."

Scorpius wrapped her in his arms, looking into the hazel eyes. "I'm going to miss you too. But you know what? I'm not going to let that get between us. I'll write every day. I'll visit you. I'll even come have dinner with you. What I'm trying to say is that I'm not going to just leave you to sort your year out by yourself."

"…Thank you. I really mean it."

"So do I."

"I love you,"

"I love you too. …Hey, the Scamander twins passed me a note this morning that they were planning a NEWT/graduation celebration out on the lawn after exams finished. I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you went along—Professor Slughorn actually agreed to sponsor it. So you know it'll be fun. Would you like to join me?"

"Oh Scorpius, I'd love to. I'm so glad you don't have to run off to the library to go study. Which subject did you review the most?"

"Actually, there was really only one book I relied on for everything to prepare me for the NEWTs. It really helped, and I loved it. So maybe you'd like to borrow it when you take your exams next year at this time."

"Which textbook is it?"

Scorpius reached into his schoolbag and pulled out the book Kie had drawn in. "The most important book about loving and living." he whispered. She grinned at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Hand in hand they walked off to the party, free and happy now that there was nothing left to do except finish up the school year in just a few weeks' time.


	41. Post-Hogwarts September

**This one is short. But I just wanted to announce that I will be making a sequel to this story, if you're all interested! Please let me know what you think about that. After this chapter, there will only be ONE MORE of this story! I'll have it posted soon. And it'll have the title of the next story in it if that's what you're all wanting to see. Thank you for the reviews!**

* * *

_30 August_

_My beautiful Kie,_

_I miss you already, even though I've just seen you a few hours ago. How are all the first-years so far? I'll bet they feel much better with you as their prefect. Best Ravenclaw out there. Not to mention Head Girl of Hogwart's! I'm beyond proud of you, as I will always be. Please let me know when you get this, as I want to make sure you're safe and not sleepy. Classes are going to be simple for you—you're so smart and I'm betting you'll be top of your class. I'm sorry this is a short letter. But I'll write to you more in the morning; I want you to know that I'm thinking about you but still get enough sleep. Can't wait to see you again. Good luck getting the girls to bed._

_Love you forever,_

_Scorpius_

**1 September**

**Wonderful Scorpius,**

**When you said you'd write to me, I never imagined it to be so soon! Hearing from you so quickly makes me inexplicably happy. The first-years aren't all that bad—only four had trouble answering the riddle at the Ravenclaw commonroom entrance, which is much better than the eleven last year. I think they've all been placed correctly. You're not keeping me awake at all! I love answering you. I love writing to you. I love you. Speaking of classes, have your job offerings come in yet? I remember you said they were to be sent out soon—it may be a little early but I still hope they get out there soon. Let me know what you're qualified for! Tell your father thank you for the sound-stoppers; it really came in handy during yesterday's feast—a lot of Muggleborns were sitting around me and they were all exploding with awe at the magic of the school….not so fun for my ears. Oh, and please tell your mum that her cookies were wonderful, and that I thank her so much. You and your family never cease to amaze me.**

**I'll love you always,**

**Kie**

_19 October_

_Hello, Kie,_

_The job qualifications came out today. I almost lost my mind—Father picked it up first and he told me that Healer wasn't on it. He was kidding of course. I was also offered a professorial position at Hogwarts. A few others too that I wasn't even considering—a few Ministry jobs, an accounting assistant at Gringotts, business consulting, etc. And then…er…I got this job offering to be…an Auror. Mr. Potter referred me. Honestly, it made me rethink my choice. But…I don't think I'm brave enough to be that sort of person. I'm a thinker, not a do-er. So I applied for the Healer position at St. Mungo's. I'll let you know how it goes. Can you tell Hagrid that I found that kind of spook-dragon eggshell? It was in the woods near the manor._

_You're the best, and I can't tell you how much I love you,_

_Scorpius_

23 November

**Hey, Scorpius?**

_Kie, what's the matter? It's so late, is everything alright?_

**I can't sleep…**

_Are you nervous about anything?_

**No…I think I'm just thinking faster than my body wants to sleep.**

_Is anyone bothering you at school?_

**…Am I keeping you awake?**

_You didn't answer my question! No, I'm up anyway._

**I'm sorry….I guess just one girl keeps spreading rumors about me. I told her if she didn't stop I'd make her sorry, but then she said she'd get in touch with you and tell you I was cheating.**

_…Cheating?_

**Behind your back. Which totally isn't true by the way.**

_I know it's not true. But why is she picking on you?_

**She wanted Ravenclaw Quidditch Captian…didn't make it. But I'm Hogwarts Head Girl, and I suppose she's jealous of that.**

_Of course she is! My girl is the best out there! Don't be afraid of her rumor spreading—none of it's true; it only makes her look worse. And I know you're not cheating on me._

**This is why I come to you when I'm upset.**

_You always can. Only three more weeks until I get to see you again!_

**It'll be a long three weeks, but it makes me happy to know there's hope there.**

_I love you so much._

**I love you more.**


	42. Post-Hogwarts October

**LAST CHAPTER! The next story will be coming up very soon, so be on the lookout for it, I guess. I'm thinking it's going to called "Forever, For Always". I'm really excited to start and it will pick up right where this chapter leaves off. So if you feel like this is a terrible ending, have no fear! For this is not an end :) I plan to write about SCorpius's time as a Healer - his life, the people he treats, his feelings, his family, his relationship. I'll make it worth a read, I promise. thanks for being such faithful readers throughout these chapters. It's been fun, and I hope I can continue to keep your interests in following me to another story in this set. :) 3**

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Scorpius slipped on his new, freshly starched white robe over his clothes. A rush of nerves over took him. But he smiled despite that, because he'd turned around to look in the full-length mirror. There it was: a healed Healer. Scorpius stood up a bit straighter, shifting ever so slightly to see a side view of himself. Soft footsteps sounded near the door. Astoria put a hand over her heart as she took in the sight on her son looking so grown-up. "Mother," Scorpiu said, catching sight of her form in the mirror. "I didn't hear you come in." Astoria didn't speak, only walked forward and stood behind him in the view of the glass. She rubbed her hands over his shoulders, tears building up in her eyes. They stayed like that for a long time. "Mother, are you crying?" Scorpius asked, turning to face her. She averted her eyes and tried to smile. "You just…" she began. But the tears choked her. "I'm sorry…" she whispered as she dried her eyes, Scorpius setting his hands on her shoulders. "It's just…when I held you in my arms for the first time…I was too weak to do it myself. You and I have been together since we were both put in intensive care after birth. And now…you're going off as an adult….even though we've spent more time together than I thought we would because you were born early…I still think it…isn't enough…" And with that, she broke into quiet tears. Scorpius wrapped his arms around her, holding her as she did for him all those times he cried. "It's not forever, Mother…" he murmured. "And you'll still always have me. I'm just going to be working at St. Mungo's, but I'll be home for you whenever you need me."

"…This is so hard…"

"But I've gone away to Hogwarts for years, and sometimes I would even have to stay weeks in St. Mungo's…"

"I know….but this time you're going off by yourself…you don't need me anymore."

"…I'll always need my mummy…."

Scorpius pulled her into a tighter hug, which only made her cry harder. But she was smiling through her tears. The pair stayed in an embrace for a long time; until Draco interrupted quietly to bid his farewells to Scorpius. The small family huddled together, hugging, kissing, loving each other. "Things will not be different between us," Draco whispered. "You always have a home to come back to at night, you always have parents that love you. It's all the same. All the same, Scorpius." The small blonde nodded, allowing himself to be hugged. He wiped his eyes as they all straightened and let go. "Let me know if Albus writes," he said. "He's working as an apprentice to his father—his OWL and NEWT scores weren't good enough to enter the job right away, so he has to work up to the level of an independent Auror." Draco laughed. "I'll tell him you're starting today."

Scorpius turned around and let his parents take him to the front door. After one more hug goodbye, he stepped out, closed his eyes, and focused hard on his destination—St. Mungo's.

_Pop!_


End file.
